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Book Review on “What’s Gone Wrong?” by Alex Boraine

In Alex Boraine's book, "What's Gone Wrong?" South Africa on the Brink of Failed Statehood", he delves deep into the details of how South Africa came to be the country it is today.  The book is fascinating, giving his perspective and interviews from individuals he worked with and came across while holding his political positions.  To understand this book, we must first know who the author is.  Alex Boraine proudly helped two of the country's non-profit organizations who hoped to end Apartheid.  He also served as Deputy Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 1996-2003.   He witnessed how Apartheid destroyed the nation and how this policy dissolved and how new leaders handled a post-Apartheid world.

The first part of the book explains not only how Apartheid ended but also when the government banned the ANC.  This period Boraine refers to the years in which the ANC was in exile.  Boraine can explain this time to have formatted the ANC's current views, and why many of its members are corrupt.  The ban was in regards to the Unlawful Organizations Act of 1960.  This law allowed the South African Government to disarm any groups the government was threatening in any form.  It served to protect public safety, but this act was another means to silence the public.  "Whites were determined to hold on to power at all costs.  It was the politics of oppression and exclusivity versus the politics of resistance" (Boraine, pg. 22).  In this period, we can understand why the ANC became armed.  Boraine describes them as starting with nothing but their wits.  With a group starting from nothing, it is hard to stay active when they are not allowed to keep going.  This idea relates to chapter 3 in Mudde and Kaltwasser's Populism: A Very Short Introduction on social movements.  In the chapter, they explain the importance of having engagement with their audience.  It is exceptional and rare for a group with little outside support to survive. The ANC was very strategic during its banning period while they worked their way back into government.  At the end of this ban, the ANC was elected into the office when Nelson Mandela became the first President of color in South Africa.  Boraine is very insightful in explaining how the ANC came into power.

Boraine explains that during their exile, the ANC changed its focus from a military struggle to creating an underground movement.  This underground movement is what attracted many leaders like Nelson Mandela to join their group.  As Boraine shares in his book, the ANC sought power and struggling to gain control for so long.  Along the way, the ANC recruited leaders like Jacob Zuma, who eventually had to resign from his position in 2014.  They saw securing officials like Jacob Zuma and Baleka Mbete as a sure way to maintain their power.  "There seems to be a pervasive fear of losing power, therefore grab all power" (Boraine, pg. 138).  With this understanding, the ANC was afraid of losing any critical influence they were obtaining.  "Before fascism, populism had also been an authoritarian political style for opposition movements." (Finchelstein, pg. 99).  The ANC could argue to have once been a populist group in opposition to Apartheid, and they are indeed using a reliable central power to preserve their status quo.  So in a way, the ANC is repeating history.  They were once exiled by the corrupt, and now they are the ones corrupt trying to exile any organizations (EFF) that may threaten their power.  

This book is a perfect read for anyone interested in history and politics, as opposed to other readings that repeat information retold throughout time; this book shares one-of-a-kind informal stories.  To read these events from an insider who tries to remain unbiased is hard to come across.  Boraine is well known to be an anti-Apartheid activist, but while reading, it was sometimes unclear which side of government he stood on.  Above all else, What's Gone Wrong? South Africa on the Brink of Failed Statehood realizes why populism is vital for the country.  Populism is needed to bring its members and officials to remember why the ANC was created in the first place, to make South Africa equal.  South Africa has yet to repair itself post-Apartheid, and with a corrupt government, it seems populism is needed to bring the voice of the people back.  This book is a clear example of how an organization can be turned corrupt and go against the people to be elite themselves.  

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COVID-19 in South Africa and the Economy

This infographic explains how the COVID-19 crisis affected South Africa.  The country's economy relies on tourists and trading; with the travel restrictions from the pandemic, their economy has gotten hit hard.

In 2019, before the pandemic, South Africa's economic growth was heading in a downward cycle since Jacob Zuma.  On March 5, the first man reported to have the virus in the country.  Ten days later, the President announces a National State of Disaster.  He invokes this by banning travel from countries at high risk like Italy, closing 35 land ports and two of their seaports.   A week later, President Ramaphosa announces the government will start a 21-day lockdown as the number of cases continues to rise.  This announcement was severe as this was the first time in 25 years that the country inforced these restrictions.  The government called The National Defense into action to make sure their citizens followed these new guidelines. This lockdown resulted in a decline in service and hospitality work.  While men lost their jobs temporarily, the economy couldn't sustain many of these businesses; many permanently lost their jobs.  Statistics show more women than men lost their jobs.  What affected the economy was the shutdown of the trade of goods and services.  With the country in lockdown and unemployment rising, the demand for food decreased, resulting in a drought for farmers.  Relating to populism, according to chapter 6 of Mudde and Kaltwasser's book, this ideology tends to arise after conflict.  People are turning to populism as a response to how their government handled the outbreak.  The demand side of populism requires "the people" to act out from the government's unresponsiveness.  The President responded with a stimulus package for those who hit the hardest during the pandemic.  In 2019 the unemployment rate was 28%.  Without government assistance, this rate would go up even higher.  The country is still struggling to return to the state they were in before the pandemic.

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Video Focus: What Ended Apartheid

For this video, I will be exploring how the details of how and why Apartheid ended.  A policy that created segregation and discrimination within South Africa started in 1948 and officially ended in the mid-'90s.   Fifty years was long enough to leave a lasting impact on the country.  What essentially ended this policy were negotiations between the National Party and the ANC.   A video seminar posted by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars discusses how vital ethnic belonging is.  Ethnic belonging is one of the central ideas that sought to end Apartheid.

In my video, I will also discuss a fascinating interview from 1957 that gave insight into out South Africans viewed racism while Apartheid was well into place.  After this policy became law, the white-led nation overthrew African tradition and culture, and its citizens seemed to forget who formed the country.  It is straightforward why outside countries who viewed this interview would want this ruling to end. External pressure from neighboring countries is what helped start the negotiations to end Apartheid.  And finally, another video essay that helped me understand this matter was explaining how Apartheid rule transitioned into the democracy that ran its first election of a black President.  These main videos will help me know how Apartheid ended and why it was crucial for the country.  If Apartheid never ended, many populist leaders would never be allowed the platform to speak against the elite.

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Profile of Nelson Mandela

(Source: Garcia, Feliks. “Former CIA agent admits involvement in Nelson Mandela Arrest”. Independent. May 15, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-cia-arrest-south-africa-a7030751.html)

A prominent figure in South Africa's history is Nelson Mandela.  He was the country's first man of color to become President, which he accomplished in a post-Apartheid environment.  Mandela won the won election of 1994 and stayed in office until 1999.  Before becoming the first President of South Africa, he was President of the ANC from 1991-1997.  In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize  with Frederik Willem for "their work for the peaceful termination of the Apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa." Mandela was able to unify a country that suffered from decades of racial segregation.  He had the challenging task of setting new policies for a nation that didn't know how to co-exist.  In Judis's definition of populism and its significance, they describe it as a "function as warning signs of a political crisis."  Mandela was a pioneer in reforming South Africa during the end of Apartheid, while it was evident that the country needs a strongman (Mudde and Kaltwasser, pg. 63) to lead them to co-exist.  The journey to bring the races together in the country is a continual problem today, but Mandela made sure that it will be a long battle worth fighting during his time as president. His ability as a leader inspired his future successors as he laid the groundwork for the ANC.

While a part of the ANC, Mandela's ideas of nationalism were better organized and rationalized than the ANC's way.  As highlighted in previous articles, the ANC is now under investigation for corruption.  In the News24 article, William Gumede discusses how Mandela's ideology differs from how the ANC currently runs and why.  Mandela was a strong leader, but it is impossible to force his ideas into the minds of every South African.  The ANC consists of multiple members and many diverse groups. To start, Mandela was not the one to negotiate with the National Party.  Mandela was the type of leader who believed a general agreement needed to form for any ANC rulings to occur.  Many negotiations occurred within the ANC during Manela's ruling.  Gumede made an example of this.  He explains, "Mandela is no longer an ANC symbol.  Mandela is a South African symbol".

Nelson Mandela was a pioneer for media freedom in South Africa.  South Africa did not support press freedom during the Apartheid era.  The Internal Security Act of 1982 suppressed freedom of the press and expression.  The act banned newspapers and censored anything that could "endanger the state's security or the maintenance of public order." In 1994 Mandela expressed how the ANC had nothing to fear from the criticism of the press.  "It is our considered view that such criticism can only help us to grow, by calling attention to those of our actions and omissions which do not measure up to our peoples' expectations and the democratic values to which we subscribe."  There have been a few instances where Mandela did not support press freedom.  He viewed black journalists as puppets who only wrote to please their white editors.  He believed the press was guilty of suppressing the ANC's responses to critical articles.  It is interesting how the Presidents following Mandela say the press is biased against the ANC.  His successor Mbeki set any journalism against the ANC as an act of racism.  Gevisser noted, "the serious effect Mbeki had on the media was to play the race card.  He went for the critics -black and white- and demonized them, branding them black critics 'Uncle Toms'".   Makhanya reflecting on Mandela's effect on the media, agrees 'Nelson Mandela taught us what a free society looked like.  Even Mandela was challenged by the media, but he became one of our biggest defenders.  We created this state of media freedom for ourselves; now it's about defending it.  We must do what we do and not be frightened".  Without Nelson Mandela, journalists would not challenge the media in South Africa, and black South Africans would not be allowed to express themselves freely.

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Cartoon Depicting ANC’s Money Fraud

This editorial cartoon got inspiration from the corruption of the ANC. The ANC has been the ruling party in South Africa since the dissolve of Apartheid.  Nelson Mandela was their first elected President from 1994-1998. This election was significant because everyone of all races was allowed to vote.  He was a civil-rights leader who fought against the government during the Apartheid reign.  One of Mandela's goals was to disarm all political parties.  These goals are comparable difference to how the ANC runs now.

There was a substantial decrease in votes from Jacob Zuma's last election to 2011.  An 8% drop in polls towards Zuma shows that the ANC is losing its pull. One of ANC's members, Ace Magashule, a supporter of past President Zuma, is currently being charged for mishandling money.  He is one of the ANC's "top six" members.  These charges are a part of President Ramaphosa's plan to end the corruption within the ANC.

Back in 2014, Magashule was in charge of aiding the asbestos problem that was ruining lower-income households.  The government aid was worth around $14 million.  As of 2020, many homes have stated Magashule never fixed the problem.  Another case opened up was when he allowed $16,000 for travel to all members.  These allegations, among countless more currently being discussed in court.  The people of South Africa are hopeful to learn where all the money is going and how Magashule and the other ANC members are hiding it. In populism, it is typical for these actors to expose the corrupt "elite" to show support to "the people," South Africa's citizens.  In Mudde and Kaltwasser's explanation of ethnic leader, they say, "the populist leader does not even have to be part of the ethnic majority".  In this case, most populist leaders are a part of the ethnic majority, which helps them appeal more to the masses.  

This cartoon is a spoof on the meme from Snow Whites and the Seven Dwarves.  It's depicting the witch (ANC members) laughing and sneaking away.  It symbolizes how the ANC members think they can continue to hide the truth from their citizens and continue to commit their illegal acts.

Cartoon Inspired By:

Jacob Zuma

Jacob Zuma

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Open Letter to Cyril Ramaphosa

Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa,

We appreciate your hard work and commitment to the people of this country.  We understand that you have a heavy plate following Jacob Zuma.  It is very shameful that a man we elected was convicted of corruption and forced to resign while in office. We are very aware of his current sentence.  Being charged for fraud, money laundering, racketeering, and rape does leave a bad taste in everyone's mouths.  He skipped his court date, which could lead to time in jail.  We know you are aware of this, and we know you will not follow the same path, but we have some concerns since your election in 2018.

When you became President of ANC in 2018, you vowed to end corruption within the party.  This promise has left a sour taste in many of the members' mouths, especially their secretary-general Ace Magashule. Magashule is defying the ANC by disobeying policy to stepdown when facing corruption charges.  He is facing charges of fraud connected to a $17 million government contract.  The country is already in economic despair, so the news of this is very troubling.  Magasule and Zuma are appearing to show they have power over the President.  If you want to remain in charge and win next year's election, you must take action now to remove these threats.  The ANC initially fought against the Apartheid regime, not bury the country back into it.  With all this corruption, we are losing faith that those in power are not on our side.

The ANC certainly has had its fair share of scandals.  In recent news, we applaud you in your efforts to take action against all current members.  You made a promise to clean up their act, and we are happy to see you finally hold up your end.  We have a hard time trusting the ANC.  We hope you will stand behind your words, and we will have a better committee to serve this country.  Thirty days is enough time for all members to step down and find another position.  There are many qualified politicians and people who can fill their roles.  We hope this is a step in the right direction for the country to have proper representation since the departure of Apartheid finally.  As of today, when you addressed your nation, you said," the 30-days period will be to enable the implementation of the decision in line with the guidelines, not to review the decision".   We see this as a profound statement that shows you genuinely want change within the ANC.  This action appears to be a positive step in redirecting the political climate.

This open letter written earlier in the month addresses your speech to the nation.  To achieve control of the state, you must first remove the institutions that do not put their citizens first.  Growth and peace will take time.  You are in the position now where change can be effective.  People are listening.  Show that you are doing a civil service for South Africans as you protect their land, and many will support you in the next election.  What's important is that you remove the corruption within the ANC, then stabilize the economy.  We understand the COVID-19 is a massive contributor to our economic despair, but this country has been struggling with wealth for quite some time.  This trial against the members of the ANC shows progress for you as a leader.  It shows that you do want professionalism for the nation.  After this, make strides in redistributing the wealth within this country.  South Africa can be a great country in time, where equal opportunities exist.  Go forward with these steps, and you will have no trouble going up for re-election.

Sincerely, the people of South Africa

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South Africa Event Analysis of Water Crisis

(Source: Donnenfeld, Zachary. “South Africa’s Water Crisis Is Bigger Than the Cape”. Institute of Security Studies. February 5 2018. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/south-africas-water-crisis-is-bigger-than-the-cape)

How Did It Happen?

One recent event in South Africa was their limited access to water. The Cape Town Water Crisis started in 2015 when the city experienced a drought.  Experts say the drought was due to climate change and weather patterns. The damns' water level decreased significantly from 71.9% to 50.1%.  Other parts of South Africa were experiencing the same effects, but Cape Town suffered a few years later.  According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "In a way, the 'Day Zero' drought might have been a sought of taste of what the future may be. In the worst-case scenario, events like the 'Day Zero' drought may become about 100 times more likely than what they were in the early 20th- century world". 

 What Resulted

 "Day Zero" was the name given when Cape Town's reservoirs were depleted. This caused many of their citizens to turn off their faucets for a period to limit their water usage. They restricted outdoor water usage and limited toilet flushing as well.  In 2018 only 13 gallons of water were allowed per person instead of the 100 gallons a person in the US will use.  Cape Town started implementing grey-water, which is recycled water.  South Africa relies heavily on its agricultural system. With crops and livestock dying, many farmers started to face debt. This resulted in the cost of food rising. It's reported that 60,000 jobs have been lost, while $400 million is needed to sustain their agriculture.  

 Water Crisis and Populism

 Part of this crisis is due to water mismanagement and the politics after the end of Apartheid. The ANC and DA (Democratic Alliance) were at opposite ends with each other. All while this, Cape Town announced that the city would indeed run out of water. The country is still divided between the white minority and those of color. The black majority population typically receives a later response by government officials than a population ruled by the white minority. It took almost 2 months for the government to state that there was indeed a drought emergency in Cape Town. According to David Olivier, who studied global change and sustainability in Johannesburg, "For budgets to be re-prioritized and funding to be released to deal with a crisis such as this, a drought disaster needs to be declared." Many believe the slow response is due to Cape Town's corrupt mayor Patricia de Lille, a DA member. The same year she was accused by the DA of maladministration. The DA did remove her as a member in response to the way she handled the water crisis. "The attitude within and across political parties is that there's political capital to be gained at the expense of this crisis, rather than communicate with each other. The way one deals with crises shouldn't be a crisis in itself." Schwella reported.  Other officials report that the water crisis was not due to politics but water mismanagement of the country. Other provinces around the country are also facing the same situation. Even after this statement, many feel that this problem targets the city and its population for political reasons. This is an ongoing issue populist leaders like Malema face when fighting for economic freedom and racial inclusion. 

 It is an issue of us vs. them, a battle between the colored population and the white minority. In Mudde and Kaltwasser’s book Populism: A Very Short Introduction, they explain the difference between “the people” and “the elite.” “Accordingly, it is not overly contentious to state that populism always involves a critique of the establishment and an adulation of the common people” (Muddle and Kaltwasser, pg. 5). For this event, “the elite” are the DA members and the government who ignored the issue, while “the people” are the everyday citizens of Cape Town who are being poorly treated.  Finchelstein made this very clear in What Is Populism in History?  He defines populism as “the act of speaking in the name of the people and against the ruling elites” (pg. 104).  The people of Cape Town want a leader like Malema, who understands how they are treated based on their economic status and color.

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South Africa Special Brief on the Effects of Apartheid

(Source: Fihlani, Pumza and Bailey, Dominic. “South Africa Elections: Charting Divides 25 Years After Apartheid”. BBC News. May 1, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48050197)

Apartheid is one of the remaining issues that continue to weigh heavily on the country.  The political system was put in place in 1948 and ended in 1991. However, many Africans are still facing racial issues 30 years after the course ended. The government created Apartheid for white privilege, a policy where blacks lost their rights and their homes.

The economy is one of the main issues the country faces since the dissolve of Apartheid. About half of the population lives in poverty. According to World Bank, the economy is even more of a crisis than in 1991. The report found between all the countries it collected, South Africa bridges an enormous gap between rich and poor. The wealthy are ten times richer than the poor. A study found that black populations faced the most significant poverty problems, where those of mixed race followed a close second. Economic Professor at the University of Cape Town, Murray Leibbrandt, discovered that the elite are the white majority. He says, "The picture that we pick up in our statistics is that we haven't been successful in breathing transformation through the country. And it fractures the country". The way the system runs, it is challenging for anyone in poverty to get ahead. It's is a sad truth many generations face.  (CNN)  The well-off 10% possess half of the country's income; the low 40% have 7.2% of their income. 11 % of the population make only $55 a month. (Global Citizen)  The majority of the cities in South Africa are still racially segregated. Whites typically live in a luxurious community, while blacks find it hard to afford basics household necessities. Johannesburg is currently creating a new housing policy where 30% of its homes are affordable and regardless of their location. (The Guardian)

Due to the economic crisis and less than ideal living situations, many blacks have lashed out in violence. They feel like foreigners are taking their jobs. In March 2019, the government placed the National Plan Act to deal with the xenophobia and racism that have many foreigners in fear. Even after the act passed, local businesses face looting problems, and foreign trucks are getting shot.  (Human Rights Watch) In September 2019, a shop owner in Johannesburg found himself the victim of this harassment. Rioters broke into the place and chased him out of his shop. In Bangladeshi, shop owners faced a similar situation, but instead with a mob of over 300-500 people. The police didn't show up until three days after they reported the incident. Twelve people have been reported dead in September 2019 from these attacks.  (Human Rights Watch)  

Many black and colored South Africans are struggling to find decent education. Reports that the underperformance of the education system is rooted back in Apartheid. The level of education gets based on wealth, skin color, and where they were born. ¾ of nine years old cannot read.  (Amnesty International)  In 2018 Amnesty International found that out of 23,471 public schools, 85% do not have a laboratory facility, 77% do not have a library, and 72% do not have access to the internet. Failure to educate their students is not the only concern. Sanitation remains a problem to this day. Two students have died from the poor sanitation of their schools. Proper cleaning protocols are not a priority as many of these schools cannot afford the funding. In 2013 the government tried to enforce Minimum Norms and Standards for their schools' education and safety. Many of these schools still do not meet necessary safety regulations as the building are poorly maintained.  Amnesty International found that many schools lack furniture and security. As of May 2020, 1577 schools have suffered from vandalism. Since the lockdown of school due to COVID-19, the numbers are going up. 

Julius Malema, the populist leader of the EFF, held a conference describing how Apartheid created the healthcare system in South Africa. He argues healthcare was better during Apartheid from hospitals built during the era that catered to blacks. When Apartheid ended, those buildings closed. Now it is harder to access adequate healthcare in South Africa with the failing economy. Malema is still fighting to distribute the land evenly between whites and blacks that the government is struggling to do. He sees the white as the minority and blacks as the majority. He understands the government has created a system in place that aids the minority. He says, "the time for reconciliation is over; now is the time for justice."  South Africa's President Ramaphosa has paid attention to his concerns "the land question has not been fully addressed." (BBC)  Proper redistribution for blacks and colors is the plan that Malema sees as his top priority. After ending Apartheid 30 years ago, integration, handling of the economy, and fair treatment has barely improved.   

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South Africa, Online Censorship, and Media Coverage

(Source: Kruger, Franz, “Why Media Freedom Remains Fragile in South Africa”. The Conversation. October 18, 2017. https://theconversation.com/why-media-freedom-remains-fragile-in-south-africa-85868)

Overview of Media Landscape

South Africa has its own state-owned and private broadcasting companies. The major broadcasting company for South Africa is the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for radio and television.  SABC has recently come under scrutiny for political censorship and a scandal from their former executive.  According to Reporters without Borders, “Coverage of certain subjects involving the ruling ANC and government finances is off-limits, or provokes a hostile reaction from the authorities.”  It’s one of the issues the EFF is fighting.  The Star is based out of Johannesburg and is the city’s oldest newspaper.  News 24 and Mail & Guardian operate their online information, while Channel Africa and 702 Talk Show dominate the radio.  Internet access is widely accessible.  According to InternetWorldStats, half of their population was using the internet in 2017. The dominant source is cell phones, which Freedom House says is “unrestricted.”   (BBC News)

Newspaper is another leading source of media in South Africa.  The majority of the media that is published in South Africa either consists of English or Afrikaans language.  While South Africans generally speak in Afrikaans, many are fluent in English.  English is published so their news can be mass spread and reach a larger audience.  Newspaper is one the leading forms of media used since the mid-17th century. Citizens are feeling more trustworthy in their news source since the departure from Apartheid, which censored all publishing about government and outside sources. (Press Reference)

 Press Freedom and Challenges to Journalism

 It is fascinating to note that we can categorize media into two periods during and after Apartheid.  During Apartheid, one would have to get authorization from the government before publishing any news.  Anything political or could compromise national security is banned.  After Apartheid, the press is free to post any information they feel matters, including critiquing the ANC.  The dissolve of this organization allowed the country back into the United Nations.    (Press Reference)

A constitution was passed in 1996 that protects press freedom.  Women journalists are harassed on social media, typically by politicians and their supporters.    According to one report by RWF, violence has gone up against the press since the outbreak of COVID-19.  Many Twitter accounts are blocked, which undermines the efforts of the South African government. Many news outlets are struggling financially since the pandemic. Their government is censoring many on what they can cover since health crisis is a monitored subject.  (Reporters Without Borders).  Freedom House backed up this claim, which reports that the government blocked online communication during elections and protests.  However, the media is also encouraged and sometimes helpful when exposing corruption, which could benefit the ANC. In 2017 the press was one of the primary sources that revealed the Gupta Family linking them with Bell Pottinger (a British firm) that caused many racial issues.  (Freedom House)

 Media and Populism

 Julius Malema is currently the main populist actor in South Africa.  He is in charge of leading the EFF, which is a left-wing party fighting the ANC.  He is very active on social media, with over 3 million followers on Twitter.  He is always keeping his followers up to date on the plan of the EFF and calling out any injustice he sees coming from South Africa.  His most recent retweet called out the President for deceiving their people.  It is a clear example of us vs. the elite.  

 Malema has been under attack many times for using hate speech.  His most notable was when he sang “Shoot the Boer” towards white farmers.  This radical approach had the media frenzy, but Malema defended himself, stating it was to fight against minority rule. (BBC News).  Malema uses media as a source to speak for those who do not have a voice.  He uses his role as a leader to discredit the elite and allow his followers to have a platform.  He uses anti-government rhetoric to make headlines in primary media sources.  He uses the media to his advantage as well.  If he reads from a source that there is a protest, he will go there directly to give a speech.  According to CNN, many see Malema only using his position to push his liberal agenda. (CNN News)

This year, Malema has used the media to address public issues such as COVID-19 and elections.  A press conference got posted on YouTube.  Malema speaks his concerns about how the pandemic is being handled in the country and touches on unemployment.  In the meeting, he refers to the problem of unemployment that the nation faces.  He disagrees that closing the border will solve it.  Malema uses this platform to enforce his populist plan and assure that he is enlightened enough to speak for the people. (SABC News)

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South Africa, Apartheid, and EFF

(Source: Landau, Loren. “South Africa’s Democratic Alliance Plays Populist Immigration Card”. The Conversation. October 22 2018. https://theconversation.com/south-africas-democratic-alliance-plays-populist-immigration-card-105222)

Political History and Current Populist Movement

South Africa was initially a British Colony that earned its place in the British Commonwealth in 1909. Shortly after this, in the same year, the South Africa Act was passed, which goal was to merge four British Dependencies. These dependencies were Natal, Transvaal, Cape Colony, and Orange Free State. Instead, this act divided South Africa and made a nation where could not include blacks in political matters. South Africa is well known for Apartheid, which is a racial segregation policy that has been in place since 1948.  Apartheid finally ended after many protests and pressure from outside countries.  Negotiations between then-President F.W. de Klark, The National Party, and The African National Congress are what indeed finally ended this era.  The country is finally seeing some changes after the government resigned from its power in 1994. The difference is the result of large protests that eventually brought some attention to the isolated nation. Since then, South Africa has seen its first non-white leader, Nelson Mandela. The success of ending Apartheid resulted in South Africa becoming a democracy where most of the population was finally allowed to vote.  The country is still facing financial turmoil as it tries to reset its racial wrong-doings. As of February 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa has been President, only to be elected after Jacob Zuma had to resign from corruption charges. (Constitution Net)

Populism is currently leading in one of the world's most populist countries. This ideology tends to form after political uneasiness or economic tension, which the country has its fair history. It's no wonder that in 2019 reports of 39% of its citizens held populist views. The corruption of their past President Zuma stirred some fire, which resulted in many protests and armed forces having to step in. As a result, power outages affected its citizens due to the government not meeting their essential services. Populism isn't going away soon as 84% of its people see their government as part of the greedy and selfish elite. The country is currently a Republic Nation. (The Guardian)

Populist Leaders, Movements, and Parties

One populist leader that is gaining a lot of attention is Julius Malema. He is the leader of the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters group. This party started as an anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist group. This group prioritizes nationalism and hopes to nationalize its banks and mines to free itself economically. They hope to achieve better healthcare services, as many supporters find the citizens' general welfare in South Africa to be poorly cared for and treated. Another goal of EFF is better education as their access is minimal. 

Malema was initially President of the ANC Youth League in 2008. He helped form the EFF in 2014 to fight against the ANC after he got fired from his position. He is a pretty radical leader as he expresses controversial ideology. His tactics are as his numbers of supporters each year continue to increase. His most considerable support comes from the lower and working-class and young adults. Muddle and Kaltwasser (pg. 5) define populism as us vs. the elite. In this case, the elite are the bankers and the government officials, while the people are the unemployed, young hard workers who feel their personal and financial well-being is not being taken care of as well as it should be. Also, because of their definition, we can see that Malema is trying to represent "the pure people" who Ostiguy describes as "genuine citizens."

Apartheid is the result of current segregation and separation between classes. Since the disintegration, many citizens are not getting the pay they have so desperately worked for, and they are angry. They feel there are still a lot of racial issues the nation must address. Xenophobia and homophobia are also some of the other problems that come up a lot from the people. (A.P. News). In South Africa, whites are the minority (only 10%) and make up most of their wealth. In the last election, Malema made headlines by acting aggressively towards white farmers by singing "Kill the white farmer." Some of these derogatory songs stirred many controversies as the EFF is not anti-white, but this painted them. The EFF is looking to end racial discrimination by exposing white privilege.

Challenges to Right-Based Democracy

Like in the United States, police brutality seems to be a big concern for many citizens. Three hundred ninety-four deaths, 124 counts of rape, 270 cases of torture, were all accounted for by police brutality. Women today are still denied the right to safe abortions. South Africa has decreased the number of health care services for women in the past couple of years. Ambulance services have also drastically cut back, resulting in women not arriving safely and on time to the hospitals for any proceedings. As of 2019, abortions, primary health care, and prenatal services fees get paid in full. If you reside outside of South Africa and give birth in a South African hospital, staff can turn you away. (Amnesty International).

Malema's left-wing way of thinking does not come without consequence. Violent uproars result after many of his speeches. Freedom of speech is almost non-existent. As anyone who speaks against their government gets targeted for hate speech, there are practically no laws to protect them. South Africa is still facing racial discrimination problems, granting fundamental human rights to most citizens and allowing access to water. Some of the water supplies surrounding Giyani villages have collapsed, resulting in minimal access to water. Even after the government paid almost $150 million for water to redistribution, the towns still had access to public water. In the 2018 election, the ANC won, which resulted in violent riots against immigrants and refugees. Twelve people got murdered during this time from xenophobic acts.