Independent Candidates Pose Challenge to ANC in South Africa's 2023 Elections

As South Africa prepares for its national elections on May 29, 2023, independent candidates and breakaway parties are surfacing as noteworthy contenders, presenting a challenge to the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The emergence of these independent voices, particularly the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party led by former President Jacob Zuma, has ignited a series of legal battles and raised questions about the ANC's ability to maintain its outright majority in the national parliament and key provincial legislatures.

The Morning Live program on SABC News recently examined the prospects of independent candidates in the upcoming elections, emphasizing several prominent figures from the KwaZulu-Natal province. Ntokozo Biyela, a well-known businessman, author, and columnist, is running as the premier candidate for Build One South Africa With Mmusi Maimane (BOSA). Michael Mabuyakhulu, a former ANC MEC who was acquitted of corruption charges earlier this year, has been enlisted to bolster the ANC's election campaign. Maggie Govender, an anti-apartheid activist and former KZN MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, is also on the ANC's provincial list of candidates. KC Moodley, known as Karou Charou, stands as the only independent candidate in KwaZulu-Natal, aiming to ensure that Indian voices are heard.

However, it is the legal battles between Jacob Zuma's MK party and the ANC that have attracted significant attention. Zuma, who served as President from 2009 to 2018, has been entangled in corruption allegations and was forced to step down due to the Zupta state capture scandal. Despite this, he has achieved a series of legal victories against the ANC's attempts to block his party from contesting the elections. The electoral court overturned the electoral commission's ban on Zuma's candidacy for a parliamentary seat, dealing a blow to the ANC's efforts to delegitimize MK using the courts.

Why this matters: The rise of independent candidates and breakaway parties in South Africa's 2023 elections reflects a growing dissatisfaction with the ruling ANC and a desire for alternative political voices. The outcome of these elections could reshape the country's political landscape and have far-reaching implications for governance and policy-making in the years to come.

Election Uncertainty: While the ANC faces the possibility of losing its outright majority in the national parliament and the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, the presence of numerous other parties and independent candidates has made the outcome of the elections uncertain. The media's focus on Jacob Zuma and his legal battles could also skew polling data. As the electoral commission's appeal to the Constitutional Court to overturn the electoral court's verdict on Zuma's candidacy remains ongoing, the stage is set for a closely contested and potentially transformative election in South Africa.

Key Takeaways

• Independent candidates and breakaway parties challenge ANC's dominance in 2023 elections.
• Jacob Zuma's MK party battles ANC in legal disputes over election candidacy.
• Prominent independent candidates emerge in KwaZulu-Natal, including Ntokozo Biyela and KC Moodley.
• Outcome of elections could reshape South Africa's political landscape and governance.
• ANC faces possibility of losing outright majority in national parliament and KZN legislature.