2019 will mark the 25 year anniversary of the first free elections in South Africa, an era which has been dominated by the African National Congress (ANC) political party. Last year Cyril Ramaphosa replaced Jacob Zuma as president after the nation endured nine years of corrupt rule under Zuma. Education and healthcare are weak while many still live without electricity or sanitation services. People are frustrated by the inequality that remains in South Africa and the lack of improvement of standards of living for the average South African under 25 years of ANC rule. The Democratic Allinace, a more conservative party, is the main challenger to the ANC, which is expected to narrowly maintain control of the government this year. South Africa is a nation of 55 million people and one quarter of the electorate is under 30 and too young to remember life under apartheid, which was a system of racial segregation that existed from 1948-1994.
Discussion Questions
1. What should the new president Cyril Ramaphosa focus on to gain the support of the people of South Africa?
2. Does the African National Congress, the party that led South Africa away from its racist apartheid system, deserve more time to nourish the growth of South Africa's economy?
3. How can a nation like South Africa with limited government funding improve its education and healthcare systems?
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