African National Congress (ANC) -- Ruling Party

Party Leader: Thabo Mbeki

Thabo Mbeki has been President of the ANC since 1997. He has been active in the ANC since 1956, serving first in the African Students Association and then later as a part of the National Executive Committee of the ANC. From 1994-1999 he was Deputy President of South Africa. In 1999 and again in 2004 he was elected President of South Africa, and remains so today.

Overview

The ANC was formed in 1912 and was banned from 1960 to 1990. Membership is open to all races. In 1990, the ANC negotiated with the government of South Africa, forming a new constitution. In 1994, the former liberation movement was transformed into a governing party in South Africa's first democratic elections. The ANC is part of a tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP). In 2001 the New National Party merges with the ANC.

The ANC, overall, is considered a multi-ethnic party. It represents the majority of the black population, large parts of the Indian, mixed race and white populations. Mbeki won a bigger share of the vote than Mandela had. It is important to note that in SA you do not vote directly for individuals, but rather for political parties who then pick the politicians for different positions. The ANC secured 279 seats in the National Assembly, and captured 69.68% of the National vote. This was an increase in seats over the previous two elections. There remains no powerful opposition party to the ANC.

Democratic Alliance (DA) -- Major Opposition Party

Party Leader: Tony Leon

Formerly a member of the Johannesburg City Council, in 1994 Tony Leon became the leader of the Democratic Party.

Overview

The Democratic Party was formed out of the Progressive Party, which was born in 1959. After a series of name and image changes, the Progressive Party became the Democratic Party in 1989. It is now known as the Democratic Alliance. Until 1979, the Progressive Party supported a qualified franchise. Although opposed to the National Party's policy of apartheid, historically its support base has been predominantly white, and remains so today. The DP played a major role in the negotiating process and welcomed the decided transition and interim constitution. In the 1994 election, the DP fared quite poorly.

However, in 1999 the Democratic Party increased its seats in the Assembly by 31 (to a total of 38 Assembly seats), and gained 1.2 million new votes. In the 2004 elections the DA increased its total seats to 50, representing 12.37% of the national vote. In addition, in 1999, the DP was able to draw support from communities outside of white communities. There was a small contingency of coloured and Indian voters that supported the DP and they captured 1-2% of the total black South African vote. The DA is the only political party that has managed to garner a sizable amount of support in the country.

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)

Party Leader: Mangosuthu Buthelezi

The Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement was founded in 1975 by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. In 1972, he had been elected to lead the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly. In 1976, Buthelezi was elected Chief Minister of KwaZulu "Bantustan," established by the Apartheid government, and receiving funding from the Apartheid government. The chief system was generally considered to be a puppet system of the Apartheid government.

Overview

Throughout the 1980s, the Inkatha Cultural Liberation Movement was active in rallying regional support. In 1990, the movement became the Inkatha Freedom Party. The IFP was critical of the negotiation process between the ANC and the South African government, and was not formally involved in the process. In 1994, the IFP refused to participate in the elections until a week prior to the election date. Throughout the early 1990s, the IFP and ANC were in violent conflict in KwaZulu-Natal.

After five years of the parties working together in government, much of the tension had subsided in time for the second election. In 1999, the IFP got more votes than any other party in KwaZulu-Natal, although they lost some Zulu support from outside the province, and some other multiethnic support around the country. In 2004 the IFP won 28 seats, or 6.97% of the vote. This was 6 seats less than in 1999. Buthelezi was not given any seats in the new cabinet formed after the 2004 elections.

United Democratic Movement (UDM)

Party Leaders: Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer

Overview

The UDM polled 2.8% in the 2004 elections, resulting in 9 seats. This was a marked decrease of the 1999 results when the UDM won 3.5% of the national vote and gained 14 seats in the Assembly. It drew its support base largely from Xhosa-speaking South Africans.

Independent Democrats (ID)

Party Leader: Patricia De Lille

Overview

The ID Party was formed in 2003 by Patricia De Lille. Previously Patricia had been a member of the PAC. The party is a move towards a more open, non-race based discussion of South African politics and economics. The party condemns the increased corruption in the ANC government and recognizes a need for a renewed effort towards honesty. This is the first women led, and founded political party in SA.

It did surprisingly well in the 2004, for a new party. It won 1.73% of the national vote, gaining 7 seats in the assembly.

New National Party (NNP)

Party Leader: Marthinus van Schalkwyk

Overview

The National Party was the ruling party from 1948-1994, the political party of apartheid. As of 1994, the NP was still the most supported opposition party in South Africa. In 1994, 49% of the NP's total support came from white voters, and 30% came from coloured voters. In 1999, the New National Party did not fare well in the elections. They lost 54 MPs, more than half of their national vote, 2/3 of their white vote, and 1/3 of their coloured vote. They captured a total of 28 seats in the National Assembly. Interestingly, the electoral base of this party that was formerly the governing party of Apartheid, is largely non-white. In addition, this party is largely regional. Its main support lies in the Western and Northern Cape. In 2000, the NNP merged with the Democratic Party. This alliance fell apart a couple years later, resulting in a new alliance in 2004 with the ANC.

In the 2004 elections the NNP won only 7 seats, or 1.65% of the vote. This was a dramatic turn from the previous elections. The only way that it has managed to stay in existence is through a quasi-alliance with the ANC in governing the Western Cape Province.

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)

Party Leader: Rev. Dr. Kenneth Rasalabe Joseph Meshoe

Overview

The ACDP secured 6 seats in the 1999 and 2004 elections. Its support base is found in a number of different provinces and is largely religiously based.

Freedom Front (FF)

Party Leader: Dr. Pieter Mulder

Overview

They won 4 seats in the 2004 elections, gaining one seat over the 1999 elections. Most of their support comes from the far white-right.

Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC)

Party Leader: Rev. Stanley Mogoba

Overview

Formed in 1959, the PAC was a group that broke from the ANC. Membership is not open to whites. It was led by Robert Sobukwe, a former member of the ANC Youth League, and posed a major threat to the ANC as the resistance leader. The PAC coined slogans such as "Africa for the Africans." In 1960, the PAC organized a campaign against pass laws that was the spark for the Sharpeville Massacre. The organization was banned along with the ANC under the Unlawful Organizations Act, and unbanned in 1990. In the 1999 and 2004 elections, the PAC secured 3 seats in the Assembly.

United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP)

Overview

The UCDP secured 3 seats in the National Assembly in both the 1999 and 2004 elections.

South African Communist Party

National Chairperson: Charles Nqakula

General Secretary: Blade Nzimande

Deputy General Secretary: Jeremy Cronin

Overview

The SACP is part of a tripartite alliance with the African National Congress and the Congress of South African Trade Unions. Born from the International Socialist League, the Communist Party of South Africa was formally established at a conference in Cape Town in 1921, with strong connections to the Moscow-based Comintern. In 1924 the party became multi-racial in South Africa, and in 1928 the Comintern encouraged the formation of an alliance with the ANC. In 1950 the Communist Party was banned by the government. After the banning, the Communist Party began working more closely with legal organizations such as the ANC. In 1953 the organization was revived as the South African Communist Party. In 1955 the Communist Party played a significant role in the formation of the Freedom Charter.

In 1990, the SACP entered a formal alliance (known as the Revolutionary Alliance, Tripartite Alliance, or The Alliance) with the ANC and COSATU. In the 1999 elections, the SACP was significantly represented within the ANC's Assembly positions. We have yet to see what will happen in the 2004 Assembly. There has been growing tension within the Alliance. The tension arises mainly around the neo-liberal economic policies that the ANC leadership supports.

Congress of South African Trade Unions

President: John Gomomo

General Secretary: Mbhazima Shilowa

Overview

In 1955, COSATU was formed as the South African Congress of Trade Unions, and participated in the Congress Alliance. In 1985, the COSATU that exists today was formed. Currently, COSATU includes over 2 million workers and remains a part of the Tripartite Alliance, focusing on workers' rights.

Deputy President: Jacob Zuma

Served 10 years on Robben Island for trying to leave the country for military training in 1963. After leaving Robben Island, he served the ANC in exile, eventually becoming the head of the ANC intelligence department. In 1997 he became deputy leader of the ANC.

Recent Economic Policies

In 1994, the ANC-led Government of National Unity introduced the Reconstruction and Development Program. The RDP's main focus was poverty alleviation in the form of redistribution of resources in society. The slogan was Redistribution with Growth

In June of 1996, The Growth Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy changed the focus of economic policy to one based on outward-oriented and market-led growth, centering on fostering investor confidence. There has been much debate over the efficacy of this growth-led strategy for poverty alleviation. Its slogan is Growth with Redistribution.