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South Africans Vote as Zuma Seeks Second Term as President South Africans Vote as Zuma Seeks Second Term as President
(about 2 hours later)
MARIKANA, South Africa — Millions of South Africans, some from a generation of “born frees” voting for the first time, cast their ballots on Wednesday in the fifth national elections since the end of apartheid after a campaign that highlighted the governing African National Congress’s internal cracks and President Jacob G. Zuma’s growing unpopularity. MARIKANA, South Africa — Voters cast ballots across South Africa on Wednesday after a long campaign season that betrayed the governing African National Congress party’s internal cracks, highlighted President Jacob G. Zuma’s deepening unpopularity and hinted at a realignment of the nation’s politics in the years ahead.
Long before 7 a.m., when polls opened, voters in some places formed lines at election centers, less to choose from a long list of parties than to pronounce judgment on the A.N.C., the liberation movement that has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994 but which has become mired in corruption scandals in recent years. Polls have predicted that, though the A.N.C. will steamroll to another victory, it will garner fewer votes than in the past. Hours before voting began at 7 a.m., South Africans lined up by the hundreds at polling stations, less to choose from a long list of parties than to pronounce judgment on the A.N.C., the liberation movement that has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994 but has become mired in corruption scandals in recent years. If the polls prove correct, the A.N.C. will steamroll to another victory, though with fewer votes than in the past.
In several poor, black townships surrounding Johannesburg, rioting youths, angry at living conditions, have held protests for months and tried to bar the A.N.C. from their communities. Rioters in one such township, Bekkersdal, set fire to polling stations overnight. But, several hours after voting got underway, there had been no reports of unrest, despite delays in opening some 2,500 of the 22,000 voting locations. Here in Marikana, a platinum mining town where the police killed 34 striking miners in 2012 in the most brutal display of force by the authorities in the post-apartheid era, voters began lining up at 2 a.m. at the Marikana Combined School. By 7 a.m., the queue stretched out of the school grounds and snaked around a column of trees; most of the voters, some wearing sweaters and wool hats in the autumn chill, live in a nearby squatters’ camp of tin shacks.
In Marikana, about 70 miles northwest of Johannesburg where the police killed 34 miners involved in a wildcat strike in 2012, voting started peacefully. Last week, Mr. Zuma canceled a visit here at the last minute, after protesters angry at the government’s handling of the strike and its aftermath burned down an A.N.C. office. Several voters at one station near a squatters’ camp voiced support for the A.N.C., underscoring the party’s continuing strength even in places with many disaffected residents. Last week, Mr. Zuma canceled a planned visit here l at the last minute, a few days after protesters angry at the government’s handling of the strike and its aftermath burned down an A.N.C. office. Many voters expressed dislike of the president but said they could not turn against the A.N.C., underscoring the party’s continuing strength even in places with the most disaffected residents.
“I thought my vote would make a difference and bring jobs,” said Aram Lentsa Kgahloe, 38, a day laborer who had gone to the polling site at 2 a.m. to be first in line and who had voted for the A.N.C. “I know the party’s history,” he said. “The government is not right, it is corrupt,” said Wandisile Sijawe, 35, an electrician at a mine who voted for the A.N.C., as he has his entire adult life. “The problem is with the president, not with the A.N.C. If the party makes a swap at the top, it will still be good. Zuma is not the A.N.C.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters, a party founded less than a year ago by Julius Malema, the former head of the A.N.C.'s youth wing, has been attracting disaffected young voters here and in the townships with its message of nationalizing mines and other economic assets without compensation. “We have done our work. Now the ball is in the court of South Africa,” Mr. Malema said as he voted in the north of the country. The fifth general election in a democratic South Africa, it was the first time that the “born free” generation, made up of those born since 1994 with no direct experience of apartheid, was able to vote. It also was the first election since Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and the party’s revered leader, died in December. The A.N.C. and its allies used his memory to appeal to older voters.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is expected to do better than in the 2009 election. Focusing on the need to create jobs, the Democratic Alliance has widened its appeal beyond its traditional core of white South Africans by drawing in middle-class blacks and campaigning in black townships. It is also trying to spread its geographical base beyond its stronghold in and around Cape Town, where the party leader, Helen Zille, cast her ballot on Wednesday after standing in line with other voters. “They took us from the darkness into the light — how could I vote for any other party?” said Nomanesi Zikolo, 45, a single mother of two, referring to the A.N.C.'s role not only in liberating blacks but also in providing her home with electricity for the first time in 1999.
In 2009, the A.N.C. won just under two-thirds of the vote. Mr. Zuma predicted that this time his party would capture a two-thirds majority, which would bring greater powers to govern and would give the party a badly needed mandate. Polls indicate, however, that the party’s support will shrink by a few percentage points. Voting appeared to proceed peacefully, though amid a heavy police and military presence, in several poor black townships surrounding Johannesburg, where rioting youths, angry at living conditions, have held protests for months and tried to bar the A.N.C. from their communities. Rioters in one such township, Bekkersdal, burned tires and set fire to polling stations on the eve of elections.
That would still keep the A.N.C. as the dominant force in the 400-seat Parliament, which elects the president. Analysts have said, however, that if the A.N.C. gets less than 60 percent of the vote, Mr. Zuma’s standing in the party and as president could be at risk. By law, Mr. Zuma is limited to two terms as president. The Economic Freedom Fighters, a party founded less than a year ago by Julius Malema, the former head of the A.N.C.'s youth wing, has been attracting disaffected young voters here and in the townships with its message of nationalizing mines and other economic assets without compensation.
Mr. Zuma took office five years ago only after a corruption case against him was dropped at the last minute. His influence declined steadily during his first term amid charges of financial impropriety, to the extent that he was booed loudly during a national memorial for former President Nelson Mandela in December, humiliating him in front of the world leaders in attendance. In March, South Africa’s anticorruption watchdog released a report detailing how $23 million in public funds had been misused to make upgrades to the president’s rural homestead in the small settlement of Nkandla. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is expected to do better than in the 2009 election. Focusing on the need to create jobs, the Democratic Alliance has widened its appeal beyond its traditional core of white South Africans by drawing in middle-class blacks and campaigning in black townships.
After long ignoring the report, Mr. Zuma said on Monday that voters did not care about the $23 million in upgrades. Only “the bright people” cared, he said, mentioning the news media and the political opposition. Mr. Zuma also surprised many by arguing that the upgrades were necessary to ensure the safety of his homestead because criminals invaded the property 15 years ago and raped his wife. “I changed to the D.A.,” said Michael Betana, 43, a former A.N.C. die-hard. “I liked what they said about creating jobs. If I’m not happy about the D.A., I’ll change again.”
Live television coverage on Wednesday showed Mr. Zuma, surrounded by a scrum of journalists, aides and bodyguards, voting in a schoolroom in Nkandla, which is in KwaZulu-Natal Province, southeast of Johannesburg. A miner who has been on strike since January, Mr. Betana criticized Mr. Zuma’s handling of the 2012 massacre. “He’s supposed to see how we are suffering here. But the A.N.C. and Zuma take our money to build a big house in Nkandla,” he added, referring to Mr. Zuma’s home village. In March, South Africa’s anticorruption watchdog released a report detailing how $23 million in public funds had been misused to make upgrades to Mr. Zuma’s rural estate in Nkandla.
He seemed relaxed but described the campaign as “very challenging.” As more voters like Mr. Betana slowly begin considering other parties, what has been a one-party state since the end of apartheid could give way over the next decade to more competitive politics, experts say. The weight of younger voters, who are more likely to abandon the A.N.C., is expected to offset the dominance of older voters.
“I hope that all voters will cast their votes free, without any problems,” he said, according to news reports. “This is our right that we fought for.” “The older people still like the A.N.C. because they know Nelson Mandela, but Zuma is not Mandela,” said Aphiwe Maqanda, 23, who is jobless and shares a tin shack with his father.
“The results will be very good,” he added. Mr. Maqanda voted for the A.N.C. in 2009, but this time backed the United Democratic Movement, a small party led by former A.N.C. figures. “I believe they will do better at creating jobs than the A.N.C.,” he said.
As corruption has become entrenched, the A.N.C. has drawn fierce criticism from longtime allies, including Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu, who was awarded the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid. Archbishop Tutu was quoted in the South African news media as saying that he was glad that Mr. Mandela was not alive to witness the direction in which the A.N.C. had taken the country. In 2009, the A.N.C. won just under two-thirds of the vote. Mr. Zuma predicted that this time his party would capture a two-thirds majority, which would grant it greater powers to govern as well as give it a badly needed mandate. Polls have predicted, however, that the party’s support will shrink by a few percentage points.
As he voted in Cape Town on Wednesday, the archbishop recalled the struggle for democracy, saying “people died for this, people were imprisoned, people suffered. So we mustn’t waste it. We must keep on remembering we got this at a very great price.” That would still keep the A.N.C. as the dominant force in the 400-seat Parliament, which elects the president. Mr. Zuma is limited to two terms as president. Analysts have said, however, that if the A.N.C. gets less than 60 percent of the vote, his standing in the party and as president could be at risk.
Former allies of the A.N.C. and defectors have formed other parties contesting Wednesday’s election. Some A.N.C. dissidents led a “Vote No” campaign that urged South Africans to support other, smaller parties or to spoil their ballots in a show of protest. Mr. Zuma voted at a polling station in a schoolroom in Nkandla. He described the campaign as “very challenging,” but said, “The results will be very good.”
According to official statistics, just over 25 million South Africans — almost half the estimated population of 53 million — are registered to vote, representing about three quarters of the eligible electorate. Registration is much lower, however, among the hundreds of thousands of born frees, 18- and 19-year-olds who grew up with no direct experience of apartheid. According to the statistics, only about a third of them registered to vote. Full official results are not expected before Friday or possibly Saturday.
Full official results are not expected before Friday. More than 25 million South Africans, almost half the estimated population of 53 million, are registered to vote, representing about three-quarters of the eligible electorate. Registration is much lower among the “born frees.”
“I’m very happy because it is my first time,” Nthabiseng Sibara, 20, said after stuffing her paper ballot into a cardboard box in the polling station at the Marikana Combined School.
Ms. Sibara, whose parents and older sister work in the mines, graduated from the school a couple of years ago. “I’m looking for a job,” she said. “Not in the mines. Maybe something in reception.”