# South Africa election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 31, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351 "2024-05-31T19:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/1 "2024-05-31T19:38:08Z")
[https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africa-heads-coalition-anc-set-big-fall-2024-05-31/](https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africa-heads-coalition-anc-set-big-fall-2024-05-31/) The ANC has, as was predicted, done poorly, and apparently will need some coalition to stay in power. Any predictions? I’ve heard the options described as pragmatism vs popularism? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/2 "2024-06-03T16:35:55Z")
Some basics on who the possible partners are. > **[What's next for South Africa and who are key figures in its unprecedented...](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/world/whats-next-for-south-africa-and-who-are-key-figures-in-its-unprecedented-coalition-talks)** > > With no one holding a majority, South Africa's party leaders are embarking on coalition talks to form a government. Here's a guide to some of the key figures and what might be coming next as the country enters uncharted territory. @MrDibble should at least have some insights to share with the many of us who like me are interested but ignorant? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/3 "2024-06-03T16:59:18Z")
No real insights to share - it went as predicted, and now it comes down nationally to who the main coalition partner with the ANC will be. For the DA, the new [National Health Insurance](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1030v3p1r8o) is a sticking point, for the MK Party, it’s the banning of their leader, former president Zuma (for, you know, being a convicted fraudster and all - sound familiar?) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/4 "2024-06-05T15:02:16Z")
Will this make much of a difference? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/5 "2024-06-05T17:14:35Z")
My understanding is that the major coalitions bring quite different likely paths forward with very different agendas. My Western media reads paint a partnership with the DA as more of a move away from kleptocracy and to better economic growth, while aligning with the more populist parties might be an easier political sell. But while that is filtered by sources more concerned I think with investment considerations than anything else that they represent differences from what has been seems likely. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/6 "2024-06-06T06:01:24Z")
Oh, yes, very much so. Which parties form a coalition will very strongly determine which way the country goes… more neoliberal, or more leftist (but the shitty kind of leftist). Also whether we ditch kleptocracy or embrace it further. Much as I despise neoliberalism, it is the lesser of the two weevils facing us, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/7 "2024-06-07T03:59:28Z")
Watching ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/8 "2024-06-14T20:24:25Z")
So, [a GNU it is](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw55w4z3gqeo), and it includes the DA, so better than the alternative… we’ll have to see what cabinet is announced. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/9 "2024-06-14T21:24:50Z")
Thank you for the update! ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/10 "2024-07-08T13:42:30Z")
The upcoming positions in France reminded me of the South African GNU and where things were left off. @MrDibble what is your assessment of the cabinet recently formed? [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/view-safrica-president-ramaphosa-announces-cabinet-unity-government-2024-07-01/](https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/view-safrica-president-ramaphosa-announces-cabinet-unity-government-2024-07-01/) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-election/1002351/11 "2024-07-08T14:39:18Z")
It’s OK. I’d have preferred if the DA had gotten one of the financial portfolios, as that’s actually one of their strengths, but the general makeup isn’t too bad.