South Africa: Towards the end of an ANC era?

30 years after the end of apartheid, South African democracy is struggling. As South Africans head to the ballot in May, the country grapples with unemployment, collapsing infrastructure and poor governance.

ANC has governed since 1994, with support often well above 60 percent. The party has been in steady decline over the last few years and has lost control over several of the biggest cities.

Although ANC will remain South Africa’s biggest political party, its support may drop below 50 percent and it may lose the majority in several of the provinces. This will pave the way to new political coalitions.

Who will govern South Africa? What are the implications for political stability? And what are the prospects for addressing poverty and inequalities?

The event is free and open to all. It takes place at Bergen Global (Jekteviksbakken 31) and will also be streamed. A light breakfast will be served.

Panel:

Rekgotsofetse Chikane is a lecturer at the School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and has published extensively on South African youth politics, governance and decolonisation.

Liv Tørres is the Head of the International Department of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions and former Secretary General of Norwegian Peoples Aid. She has followed South Africa for decades and has a Ph.D. on South African trade unionism.

Elling Tjønneland is a senior researcher and has worked on different aspects of developments in South Africa since the late 1970s.

Maren Sæbø is an award-winning Norwegian journalist focusing on Africa. She is an historian from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.