Electoral politics in South Africa: assessing the first democratic decade

Abstract

This comprehensive volume brings together contributions and diverse opinions from leading and emerging South African and international scholars to assess the quality of democracy and the electoral process in South Africa over the past ten years, with particular emphasis on the 2004 elections. The book speaks to a broad range of topics, all linked through the electoral theme, which get to the heart of many issues in contemporary South African politics. It offers an absorbing analysis of the evolution of the party system and party campaigns; tracks changes in public opinion and voter motivations; assesses the political implications of socio-economic change; depicts the evolution of parliament and the electoral system; probes the often tense relationship between media and government; and analyses the institutionalisation of the Independent Electoral Commission. Electoral Politics in South Africa serves as an essential sourcebook for information on the elections, the parties and their campaigns and as an authoritative contribution to careful electoral process analysis.