More Efforts Needed

The coming to power of the ANC on May 10, 1994 has and will ever remain in the annals of national and international history. On this day, the entire world applauded as Nelson Mandela took oath of office after winning the presidential election in South Africa. His landmark victory signified the end of 46 years of apartheid, the system of institutionalized racial segregation between the minority whites in power and the majority black populace. With Mandela’s rise to leadership also came the rise of the African National Congress (ANC). The inception of an ANC-led government marked the start of a new era in a nation with such a troubled history: an era of hope, progress, and the promise of equality. Though the ANC is still in power28 years after, its reputation among South Africans has long strayed from its original image of apartheid-fighting revolutionaries to ANC government synonymous with corruption and ineptitude, its leadership marred in scandal and misconduct allegations. For the first time in 28 years, the ANC has lost a lot political grounds to other parties, such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Recent polls show that, only 46 per cent of South Africans back the ANC, compared to 70 per cent in the early 2000s. The first major impact is that for the first time since apartheid ended, other parties had a chance of gaining the presidency. 
When President Cyril Ramaphosa replaced Zuma, he promised that he would clean up the corruption that plagues the nation’s government. However, controversially, in his first move as President, he retained many of the officials that had led Zuma’s administration. His decision to br...