Elections are a big deal.
And depending on when you’re reading this, South Africa will be heading to the polls or votes will be counted, in the 2016 local government elections.
Local government is where mayors and ward councillors are elected to make sure your roads are painted (if you even have roads), among other things.
At the risk of stating the obvious, democracy is a privilege – especially in Africa.
Africa’s history is not secret, colonialism, apartheid and centuries of slave driving and looting by either Western Powers or others has left a terrible legacy.
What that means is that most of Africa is very young. For example, South Africa only became a democracy in 1994. While the first country to obtain its independence on the continent, Ghana, only managed to do so in 1957 – also relatively young.
The transition from being ruled to establishing a democracy, with a government chosen by the people of that very nation, is something countries are learning to do.
And the best way to test whether these countries are learning fast enough or getting this “democracy thing” right – is through an election.
And the election is not just the casting of a vote – it is also what happens after that.
It is not enough for a party or candidate to win, he/she needs to be allowed to assume office, peacefully.
South Africa has, in the main, passed this test.
Governments at provincial and local level have transitioned without much harm or violence during the last elections.
However, certain pockets of the country have shown otherwise. At least 20 people have been killed in the province of KwaZulu Natal – for political reasons, while some towns have seen violence break out over dissatisfaction with candidates in their area. The most notable of these is the capital Pretoria or Tshwane – which burnt for a few days as people took to the streets, looted malls and blocked roads, to express their dissatisfaction with a mayoral candidate.
A great test of the democratic process will be whether South Africa can emerge from this election without incident.
Africa needs a win… desperately.
Only a handful have managed to pass the democracy test: Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia (they are one to watch for the future) are among them.
This while most of the continent continues to grapple with the concept of democracy that truly reflects the will of the people and not just liberation movements.
Whether we realise it or not, South Africa’s win in these elections is a win for the rest of the continent. We desperately need this project to succeed, in order to establish a blueprint for others to follow.
Only time will tell.