The 2024 Elections: With the formation of the GNU, the left is realigning
Last Thursday, August 15, Mr. Floyd Shivambu, the co-founder and Deputy Commander-in-Chief (The Party Leader) of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), resigned from the party and announced he would join the MKP (uMkhonto weSizwe Party). The announcement is yet another “aftershock” of the May 2024 National Elections earthquake.
In the run-up to the May 2024 National Elections, South Africa was abuzz with predictions and expectations, as well as some level of anxiety, that the ANC would lose its 30-year dominance of the political landscape in the post-democratic dispensation. In some quarters there were even worries about whether or not the ANC would accept the outcome rather than following the path that Zimbabwe had chosen many years ago. As it turned out, under President Ramaphosa, the ANC, by and large, not only accepted the election outcome, but it went further and interpreted the results as a “directive” from the nation that the parties needed to come together and form a government of national unity (GNU).
The formation of the GNU turned out to be a grand coalition of 11 parties, largely an alignment of the parties on the right of the ideological political spectrum. That was bound to have systemic ramifications for the entire socio-political system. Political analysts expected the aftershocks to ramble on and the full effect to manifest within 2 to 3 years. As it turned out, once again, contrary to all expectations, the realignment of the left of the ideological center began much sooner. The resignation of Floyd Shivambu sent shock waves into the core of the EFF.
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