Best of 2024: FT’s David Pilling – The end of the ANC era

South Africa's once-dominant African National Congress (ANC) is at a crossroads after its weakest electoral showing in three decades. As politics fragment and the centre erodes, South Africa braces for an unpredictable chapter. Dive into the dynamics that shaped the most competitive South African election since 1994 and its implications for the ANC's future.

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ANC era over; SA politics has fragmented – possibly for good

South Africa's political landscape undergoes seismic shifts as the ANC's decades-long reign faces fracturing. With coalition politics on the horizon, the ANC's grip weakens amidst economic woes and widespread disillusionment. As alliances teeter between market-driven policies and radical redistribution, smaller parties stake their claim, heralding a new era of multiparty influence. Identity politics surge, reshaping the electoral map, while the centre ground erodes in favour of niche appeals. Amidst uncertainty, the ANC's future leadership hangs in the balance, signalling the end of an era.

By David Pilling

Politics in the country has fragmented — possibly for good

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