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South Africans, prone to being a rambunctious lot, head to the polls tomorrow in what’s expected to be the most closely contested election since 1994. They will do so with less protection from disinformation and hate speech than voters in the US and the European Union because, as Guy Berger points out, social media companies still hold tight control over access to data in the global south. Without access, researchers can’t do a thorough job of tracking dangerous behaviour on social media platforms.
The elections will also take place under a revised electoral regime. Dirk Kotze explains the changes in the contest that will decide who runs the country and its nine provinces.
It’s been a particularly heated campaign with the launch of former president Jacob Zuma’s new party, the MK Party. It has adopted the same colours and language as the ruling ANC. As Corinne Sandwith writes, its decision to use the ANC’s 100-year-old “Mayibuye!” (Restore!) liberation slogan points to deep divisions.
We have also gathered previously published articles that shed light on some of the issues that loom large over these elections. One such issue is the sharp increase in the number of South Africans who depend on social assistance.
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