Citizens will head to the polls to choose their representatives in the National Assembly (which will then elect the president) and in regional councils. However, for the first time in 30 years, the ruling party, the ANC, could fall below the 50% mark nationally, necessitating the formation of a coalition.
To assist the African National Congress in convincing voters amidst a sluggish campaign, Thabo Mbeki has finally agreed to join the ranks of activists. With the release of a book containing his reflections on the country, the man who presided over South Africa from 1999 to 2008 has been engaging with South Africans in recent days. During a visit to Soweto, he urged his audience to vote for the ANC, promising that the party would now transform.
Other figures, like Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, are also campaigning in the crucial KwaZulu-Natal region, the stronghold of her ex-husband, Jacob Zuma. The former president and his new party, the MK, represent the biggest unknowns in these elections.
Furthermore, President Cyril Ramaphosa himself is intensifying his appearances on the ground, even as his image remains more favorable than that of his party. In a leaked recording to the press, his frustration can be heard regarding the lack of energy and physical presence of other heavyweights in the party. The latest Ipsos poll puts the ANC just above the 40% mark.