South Africa: A Newly Established Democracy

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Study Notes

South Africa is a new democracy, like Brazil, but unlike Brazil, it has been dominated by a single party since its democratization.
Unlike most African states, South Africa is a democracy, and its economy, which is considered one of the strongest in Africa, has a large middle class.
South Africa, along with Nigeria, plays a significant role in African politics, including sanctioning and sending peacekeeping forces.
South Africa is a country with geographic isolation because of the desert borders and a large population concentrated in the south.
South Africa has been subject to colonization since the 16th century, beginning with the Portuguese and continuing with the Dutch.
The Dutch arrival led to the establishment of Cape Town as a strategic point for the Dutch East Indian Company and the displacement of native populations.
The arrival of Dutch settlers, called Boers, resulted in the exploitation of both land and native populations.
The Cape Colony became British in 1814 due to the decline of Dutch colonial power.
The British outlawed slavery, which led to the Great Trek in 1835-1840, where Dutch settlers migrated eastward to the more densely populated regions, leading to the formation of the Apartheid political system.
After the end of the Apartheid era in 1994, the first government was a Government of National Unity, formed by both the ANC and the NP.

South Africa has 9 provinces and 2 regions that are not part of the country.
South Africa has a unique racial and linguistic diversity, with 4 main racial groups and 11 recognized languages.
The constitution recognizes 4 main racial groups: black, mixed, white, and others.
The traditional divisions from the Apartheid era are still prevalent in terms of geography and voting patterns.
Despite the "Rainbow Nation" concept, segregation and discrimination remain significant issues in South Africa.

The highest Gini coefficient (measuring wealth inequality) in the world is found in South Africa, indicating significant economic inequality.
Despite economic growth, the richest 10% of the population, mainly white, owns 90-95% of the assets.
Race, geography, and class are closely intertwined, contributing to persistent social and political divisions.

The 1996 settlement involved debates between liberal and majoritarian visions of democracy.
The settlement involved several key issues:
- The role of the presidency, with discussions surrounding a rotating presidency.
- The strength of bicameralism and the level of decentralization.
- The electoral system, with options including proportional representation (PR) and single-member districts (SMD).
- The formation of a grand coalition or government of national unity.
- The duration of national government terms.
- Veto powers within the government for specific population groups.
- The implementation of federalism.
The settlement ultimately favored a majoritarian political philosophy, with limited protection for minority groups.
Despite the 1996 Settlement, the ANC has not implemented significant measures for economic and land redistribution, leading to ongoing economic inequality.

South Africa has a strong constitution that emphasizes individual and minority rights, particularly regarding property and land.
The constitution includes provisions for affirmative action to address inequality.
The country operates with a parliamentary system with an executive presidency, where:
- Parliament is directly elected.
- The president is elected by and from parliament.
- The government is dependent on parliamentary majority.
Although provinces have a degree of decentralization, there is no formal federal system.

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