South Africa votes in 2024: could a coalition between major parties ANC and EFF run the country?

DIRK KOTZE

SOUTH Africa’s 2024 national and provincial elections are regarded as a realistic opportunity for coalition governments to be formed in some provinces and also at the national level. This would mark a dramatic change from the current situation in which coalition governments have only been formed at local level.

Electoral trends since 2016 underscore these expectations. The ANC lost its majorities in metropolitan councils in Gauteng and Nelson Mandela Bay. Its majorities in the national and provincial legislatures also declined. But support for opposition parties did not escalate at the same time. Voter turnout continued its declining trend.

In the coalition debate an important permutation is about who would constitute the coalitions. One option that’s been talked about with increasing intensity is a coalition between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

In terms of experience, the ANC has run the national government since 1994. It also governs eight of