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South Africa's May 29 election is set to be the most tightly contested since the end of apartheid. Opinion polls suggest the African National Congress (ANC) may lose its majority for the first time in 30 years. The ANC is expected to win the largest share of the vote, meaning President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to remain in office unless an internal challenge arises if the party performs poorly. If the ANC falls short of a majority, it will need to negotiate a coalition or other deals with other parties.

Key Figures in the Election:

Cyril Ramaphosa, African National Congress (ANC)

• Age: 71

• Background: Rose to prominence in the 1980s as a union leader; became ANC secretary-general in 1991.

• Career: Left politics in 1996 for business, then returned to replace Jacob Zuma as ANC leader in 2017 and became president in 2018.

• Controversies: Faced a scandal in 2022 over the theft of cash from his farm, but denies wrongdoing.

• Support and Criticism: Known for preserving consensus; criticized for being less effective in implementing reforms.

  
  

John Steenhuisen, Democratic Alliance (DA)

• Age: 48