South African Political Parties

[White Trash]

Which of the following parties in South Africa would you identify with?

Personally, I'd be a solid DA voter, but would also consider the IFP or the Nationals depending on the platform for that election. And if I'm feeling especially crotchety and if they tone down the rhetoric, the VF+ isn't a bad option either.

[White Trash]

I'd support DA like you, Southern Gothic. Though, I don't know much about SA politics except that ANC is extremely corrupt.

The best breakdown I can give you, is that the DA is somewhere between the German CDU and some of the more centrist Democrats here in the USA. A Moderate Hero party for South African Moderate Heroes. Just a half skip left of center. The party is made up of the various white and coloured anti-Apartheid groups from before the 1994 elections. The main issues with this party is the debate over social conservatism. Rural Afrikaners and Coloured voters regularly clash with the more urbane, cosmopolitan Anglo voters leading to some interesting factional infighting.

The ANC, as you said is very corrupt. But in addition to being corrupt, it is extremely bloated as well. While the party platform professes Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy, it's become almost a big tent in practice. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the former leader of the dying National Party and a committed rural conservative, is now a standard bearer for the ANC. As you can imagine, trying to balance the needs of radical Pan-African nationalism and former Apartheid regime personnel can get troublesome leading to the formation of the next party:

The Economic Freedom fighters are mostly made up by former members of the ANC's radical Socialist wing and its youth wing led by Julius Malema. The party has a radical stance on wealth redistribution between the racial groups in SA in addition to an anti-American and anti-Western foreign policy. The rhetoric of the group is populist, almost Guevarist in nature with its call for agrarian reform and advocacy for guerrilla style politics.

The National Freedom Party is the usual "law and order" type party that mostly deals with crime related issues and urban issues in the Eastern Cape. They are something of a bumper-sticker party as they seem to be quite handy with catchphrases and mottos, but not so handy at actually putting together a coherent platform.

The Freedom Front Plus is the successor to the formerly dominant National Party. They have since rejected the concept of Apartheid and Afrikaner supremacy in favor of a softer Christian Conservatism and Afrikaner Nationalism with a focus on rural issues and a populist economic platform.

[White Trash]

I'd support DA like you, Southern Gothic. Though, I don't know much about SA politics except that ANC is extremely corrupt.

The best breakdown I can give you, is that the DA is somewhere between the German CDU and some of the more centrist Democrats here in the USA. A Moderate Hero party for South African Moderate Heroes. Just a half skip left of center. The party is made up of the various white and coloured anti-Apartheid groups from before the 1994 elections. The main issues with this party is the debate over social conservatism. Rural Afrikaners and Coloured voters regularly clash with the more urbane, cosmopolitan Anglo voters leading to some interesting factional infighting.

The ANC, as you said is very corrupt. But in addition to being corrupt, it is extremely bloated as well. While the party platform professes Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy, it's become almost a big tent in practice. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the former leader of the dying National Party and a committed rural conservative, is now a standard bearer for the ANC. As you can imagine, trying to balance the needs of radical Pan-African nationalism and former Apartheid regime personnel can get troublesome leading to the formation of the next party:

The Economic Freedom fighters are mostly made up by former members of the ANC's radical Socialist wing and its youth wing led by Julius Malema. The party has a radical stance on wealth redistribution between the racial groups in SA in addition to an anti-American and anti-Western foreign policy. The rhetoric of the group is populist, almost Guevarist in nature with its call for agrarian reform and advocacy for guerrilla style politics.

The National Freedom Party is the usual "law and order" type party that mostly deals with crime related issues and urban issues in the Eastern Cape. They are something of a bumper-sticker party as they seem to be quite handy with catchphrases and mottos, but not so handy at actually putting together a coherent platform.

The Freedom Front Plus is the successor to the formerly dominant National Party. They have since rejected the concept of Apartheid and Afrikaner supremacy in favor of a softer Christian Conservatism and Afrikaner Nationalism with a focus on rural issues and a populist economic platform.

Thank you for the information! Definitely helped me out! Seems the Econ Freedom Fighters are even worse of a party for me than the ANC Though, it seems the Freedom Front Plus has the most dubious origins, from what you have written. (glad they denounced Apartheid. Though, their previous position is a disturbing one to ever hold at any point)


Out of curiosity, has a party other than the ANC ever formed a government?

The ANC has formed every government without coalition since the first multiracial elections in 1994. Their power is starting to diminish however as the EFF and the DA pick up more and more dissatisfied voters.

Sadly, the parties are starting to be drawn on racial and ethnic lines again, with primarily white and Coloured voters going for the DA and the black majority supporting the ANC.

[White Trash]

Of course the Crackerdom that is Atlas votes for the only two white majority parties

[White Trash]

My ranking:

Democratic Alliance



Freedom Front Plus
National Freedom Party
Inkatha Freedom Party



ANC









Economic Freedom Fighters

[White Trash]

I'd support DA like you, Southern Gothic. Though, I don't know much about SA politics except that ANC is extremely corrupt.

The best breakdown I can give you, is that the DA is somewhere between the German CDU and some of the more centrist Democrats here in the USA. A Moderate Hero party for South African Moderate Heroes. Just a half skip left of center. The party is made up of the various white and coloured anti-Apartheid groups from before the 1994 elections. The main issues with this party is the debate over social conservatism. Rural Afrikaners and Coloured voters regularly clash with the more urbane, cosmopolitan Anglo voters leading to some interesting factional infighting.

The ANC, as you said is very corrupt. But in addition to being corrupt, it is extremely bloated as well. While the party platform professes Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy, it's become almost a big tent in practice. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the former leader of the dying National Party and a committed rural conservative, is now a standard bearer for the ANC. As you can imagine, trying to balance the needs of radical Pan-African nationalism and former Apartheid regime personnel can get troublesome leading to the formation of the next party:

The Economic Freedom fighters are mostly made up by former members of the ANC's radical Socialist wing and its youth wing led by Julius Malema. The party has a radical stance on wealth redistribution between the racial groups in SA in addition to an anti-American and anti-Western foreign policy. The rhetoric of the group is populist, almost Guevarist in nature with its call for agrarian reform and advocacy for guerrilla style politics.

The National Freedom Party is the usual "law and order" type party that mostly deals with crime related issues and urban issues in the Eastern Cape. They are something of a bumper-sticker party as they seem to be quite handy with catchphrases and mottos, but not so handy at actually putting together a coherent platform.

The Freedom Front Plus is the successor to the formerly dominant National Party. They have since rejected the concept of Apartheid and Afrikaner supremacy in favor of a softer Christian Conservatism and Afrikaner Nationalism with a focus on rural issues and a populist economic platform.

Thank you for the information! Definitely helped me out! Seems the Econ Freedom Fighters are even worse of a party for me than the ANC Though, it seems the Freedom Front Plus has the most dubious origins, from what you have written. (glad they denounced Apartheid. Though, their previous position is a disturbing one to ever hold at any point)


Out of curiosity, has a party other than the ANC ever formed a government?

The ANC has formed every government without coalition since the first multiracial elections in 1994. Their power is starting to diminish however as the EFF and the DA pick up more and more dissatisfied voters.

Sadly, the parties are starting to be drawn on racial and ethnic lines again, with primarily white and Coloured voters going for the DA and the black majority supporting the ANC.

Ah, very interesting. Seems like this populist and divisive trend in politics is a worldwide one.

Unfortunately that is true. South Africa will not see a decent ruling party for quite some time. The ANC has too much power due to a number of reasons, mainly corruption and illegal activity. But don't get me wrong, the other parties have just as serious flaws, they just haven't been given as much time in the spotlight.

[White Trash]

I forgot to talk about the Inkatha Freedom Party. The IFP is a rigidly conservative party centered around Zulu issues specifically. Strangely enough, they credit an American for a good chunk of their political thinking, Booker T. Washington. They were highly influenced by the American black conservative movement and have a strong emphasis on Zulu patriotism and traditional values. They favor a strongly defended border with Zimbabwe as Zulus and Zimbabwean immigrants often compete for the same jobs in the Eastern Cape. They were the third largest party (After the ANC and the DA) for a long time until the rise of Julius Malema and the EFF.

They aren't too bad in my opinion, but some of the harder right-wing factions within the party can get a little dicey regarding their views on women, homosexuality, and religious freedom.