#SAElections24: Election Eve Special
Tuesday, 28 May 2024
12pm Washington D.C.
4pm Dakar
5pm London / Kinshasa / Lagos
6pm Paris / Cape Town
7pm Nairobi / CairoMedia Partner
South Africa’s 2024 general elections, on May 29, are perhaps the country’s most interesting – and hotly contested –since the country's first multiparty, multiracial elections in 1994.
Against a backdrop of political fragmentation and economic strife, a number of major questions remain to be answered. Will African National Congress (ANC) voters remain loyal to the party of liberation, or start to punish its candidates for corruption? Will any of the ANC's biggest challengers – from the Economic Freedom Fighters and Democratic Alliance to newcomers like ActionSA and Rise Mzansi – make significant inroads? And how will former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe party fare, especially now that the Supreme Court ruled he is ineligible to stand for parliament?
All told, this month's election results could lay the groundwork for a new coalition government at the national level and fundamentally alter the future of South African politics.
To address these issues, and the election's impact on the Southern Africa region, we have convened a stellar panel of South African experts. This Twitter Space is an opportunity for you, the listener, to shape the debate by raising the topics of greatest concern and putting questions directly to our speakers. Join us by setting a reminder now!
Meet our panel
Tessa Dooms
Tessa Dooms is a trained sociologist, political analyst, a democracy builder, and a published author. She is currently a director at the Rivonia Circle, a non-profit think tank that produces innovative solutions for social development in South Africa. Her research areas focus on accountable governance, youth development and innovation, and she has applied her deep knowledge of these issues by working in over 10 African countries.
Dr. Rekgotsofetse Chikane
Dr. Rekgotsofetse Chikane is a dynamic political commentator, published author, and grassroots activist who is currently helping to run a domestic election observer campaign in South Africa. He is also a full-time lecturer at the Wits School of Governance where he focuses on a range of topics, including decoloniality, development and complexity economics.
Siphosami Malunga
Siphosami is a human rights lawyer and an advocate for democratic governance. Most recently, he was Programs Director at Open Society Africa, where he oversaw and led the implementation of a continent-wide portfolio of regional, national, and grassroots initiatives. He is a widely published author -- in academic journals and media outlets -- who brings a wealth of regional perspective.
William Gumede
William Gumede is a best-selling author and prominent South African professor who currently teaches at Wits University. Among his many notable affiliations, he is the founder and executive chairperson of the Democracy Works Foundation, a nonprofit group that provides tools to activists and practitioners to build resilient democracies in Africa and beyond.
Ferial Haffajee
Ferial Haffajee is an award winning editor and journalist who currently serves as associate editor at the Daily Maverick. Previously, she was editor-in-chief at the Mail & Guardian and City Press, two of South Africa's premier print publications. She's also a fellow at the Africa Leadership Initiative, a Pan-African project that invests in the development of ethical African leaders.
Moderation
Mantate Mlotshwa
Mantate Mlotshwa is a passionate advocate for the meaningful contribution of women and youth to democracy and governance processes. The Founder of the creative brand U Motle, she has earned a reputation for speaking her mind and promoting positive messages of liberation and emancipation in Zimbabwe and beyond.
Jeffrey Smith
Jeffrey Smith is an award-winning pro-democracy campaigner and veteran human rights activist. He is the co-creator and producer of The Resistance Bureau and also founding director of Vanguard Africa, a nonprofit organization that supports visionary African leaders to build winning free and fair election campaigns.