Dominance of the ANC Guide Flashcards
Who has controlled SA since Apartheid?
SA has been controlled by the ANC during the post-Apartheid era and therefore they dominate political decisions.
What is Apartheid?
Apartheid is a system of segregation based on race which ended in the early 1990’s.
When was the South African Constitution introduced?
The South African Constitution was introduced later in that decade (1990’s).
How are SA democratic?
SA use the Party List System which is representative and so makes fair elections.
Who has won the most seats since Apartheid?
The ANC have won the most seats in 7 post-Apartheid elections, holding a National Assembly majority between 1994 and 2024.
Why is having a National Assembly majority beneficial?
Having a national assembly majority allows the party the power of dictation and control over what Bills are passed.
What else strengthens the ANC’s dominance?
The ANC also uses a strict whip system which threatens MP’s with being placed lower on the list in the next election if they do not abide by what they want.
How does the whip system make the ANC more dominant?
The whip system threatens the job of MPs who would wish to vote against the party’s wishes and strengthens their dominance as many wouldn’t risk their job.
How long did the ANC hold a NA majority?
The ANC held a NA majority for 30 years.
How does having a NA majority effect scrutiny?
Having a NA majority makes the opportunities for scrutiny very limited and so continues the dominance of the ANC.
Why can’t the ANC dominating elections make SA a ‘one-party’ state?
SA cannot indefinitely be a ‘one-party’ state as the public are continuing to vote for the ANC and their fair election system allows them to vote against them if they wish.
When did the ANC lose their NA majority?
The ANC lost their majority in 2024 when they only won 159 seats of 400.
How did the ANC deal with losing their majority?
The ANC were forced to join a coalition with the DA, IFP and other smaller parties.
How does being in a coalition effect the ANC’s dominance?
The ANC become less dominant in a coalition as they now must compromise and can face scrutiny from the other parties in the coalition.
How does the coalition benefit the other parties?
There are now DA and IFP policies being implemented due to the ANC forming a coalition with them.
How many parties won seats in 2024?
18 parties won seats in the NA in 2024.
How does 18 parties winning seats reduce the ANC’s dominance?
Due to 18 parties winning seats in the NA, it makes the NA more representative of the public and opens up chances for scrutiny.
How do the ANC still dominate despite losing their majority?
Other parties are still not close to overthrowing the ANC due to certain perceptions about their party and so the ANC continue to be a popular voter choice.
How may new parties effect the ANC’s dominance?
While no existing party is ready to overtake the ANC, there may be new parties that could help to decrease the number of votes that the ANC receive.
What has the ANC’s dominance led to?
The ANC’s dominance has led to authoritarianism.
What happened to South African miners in 2012?
In 2012, 34 striking miners were killed and the surviving 259 miners were charged with murder using an Apartheid law.
How does the striking miner incident effect Ramaphosa?
The striking miner incident continues to taint Ramaphosa’s reputation as he was involved with the mines at this time.
What has the ANC become through their dominance?
The ANC have become more corrupt during their reign, especially under Zuma’s presidency.
How did Zuma abuse his access to state funds?
Zuma used £11 million worth of state funds to refurbish his home.
How does corruption effect the ANC?
Being so corrupt makes the authenticity of the ANC questionable.
How can’t SA’s fairness be questioned?
Zuma’s removal and sentencing for being corrupt would not have happened without democracy.
How has authoritarianism and corrupt effected the public view on the ANC?
The ANC have been what the public wants but the authoritarianism and corruption has tainted that.
What is the Constitutional Court?
The Constitutional Court is made up of 11 judges that are separate from the government.
How can the Constitutional Court hold the government to account?
The Constitutional Court can hold the government to account through scrutiny and cross referencing Bills against the Constitution before they are passed into law.
What did the Constitutional Court make Zuma do in 2016?
In 2016, the Constitutional Court made Zuma repay £11 million of state funds from the refurbishments of his home.
What may make the make up of the Constitutional Court questionable?
The president has the power to appoint the judges for the Constitutional Court and select them from a list.
How many current judges were picked by the president?
6 of the 11 Constitutional Court judges were picked by Ramaphosa.
How does the president appointing the Constitutional Court judges question authenticity?
The president appointing the Constitutional Court judges questions authenticity as many independent minded judges are rejected from joining the court.
How does the long relationship between the ANC and Constitutional Court question legitimacy?
Due to the ANC and Constitutional Court having a long lasting relationship it may be questioned how professional their relationship may be - there may be certain deals against staying in the Constitutional Court.
