Research Articles (Political Studies)

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    A dying ideal: Non-racialism and political parties in post-apartheid South Africa
    (Taylor & Francis, 2016) Anciano, Fiona
    Non-racialism as a concept has a rich and contentious history in South African politics. For many it was a core feature of the struggle against apartheid, uniting a range of forces fighting for a society free from racial discrimination. Indeed it is a central tenet in South Africa’s Constitution, forming a core part of the ‘founding provisions’ of the country. However, there is widespread contestation over what the concept entails, both theoretically and in practical terms. This article examines the concept of non-racialism primarily through the lens of South Africa’s largest political opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), but relates its approach to that of the African National Congress (ANC). How has the DA conceptualised and instrumentalised the vision of non-racialism, historically and in post-apartheid South Africa? This article argues that neither the DA nor the ANC has been able to do so coherently. The idea of non-racialism is a fracture that deeply divides both parties; this division is also one that originated historically for both parties. The article concludes that there is a clear shift in how the DA envisaged non-racialism during apartheid and how the party instrumentalises the concept today, and that this change echoes, to some extent, the experiences of the ANC. Both parties now equate non-racialism to multiracialism, on the one hand, and a (interim) racialisation of politics on the other. This raises the question of whether non-racialism, as conceived by some in the early days of the Congress alliance, is a dying ideal.
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    Status quo entrenched and no surprises in the Western Cape
    (South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), 2016) Africa, Cherrel
    Unlike previous elections in the province, there was an expectance that the Democratic Alliance (DA) would retain control of the City of Cape Town, as well as consolidate in other municipalities in the Western Cape. In the run-up to the 2016 local government election, the ANC, in the Western Cape put on a brave face indicating that it could unseat the DA. However, the 2016 election in the Western Cape saw an entrenchment of the status quo. Indeed, the story of the 2016 Local Government Election in the Western Cape is the story of the DA’s ascent and the ANC’s decline in the province. The DA consolidated its support base in the City of Cape Town from a comfortable majority of 61 percent, in 2011, securing a twothirds majority of 68 percent in 2016. In the rest of the Western Cape, the DA also consolidated its support base, winning in most municipalities with an outright majority and taking control of the balance through coalition agreements. The African National Congress (ANC), which had lost control of the city in 2006 when it was forced out of power through a DA-led coalition, saw its fortunes decline even further in 2016. The ANC no longer controls a single municipality in the Western Cape. This article examines electoral dynamics in the Western Cape, which saw the consolidation of DA support in the province.