Do Election Campaigns Matter in South Africa? An Examination of Fluctuations in Support for the ANC, DA, IFP and NNP 1994–2019

Abstract

Election campaigns in democratic South Africa have been eventful affairs. Despite the electoral dominance of the African National Congress (ANC) since 1994, political parties in South Africa have campaigned fiercely. At face value then, it would appear that election campaigns constitute an integral and valuable part of South Africa’s democratic system. Yet, at the same time, following the 1994 elections and given the racialized dynamics of South Africa’s electoral landscape, a view has emerged that does not regard South African voters as active agents consuming relevant political information. This view, which sees voters as guided primarily by symbolic or identity concerns, was strongly challenged by several analysts. However, the question as to whether election campaigns are relevant in the South African context still remains. In this article, I examine the relevance of campaigning in the South African context. I focus on the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Party (DP)/Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Party (NP) /New National Party (NNP). I argue that campaign messaging and party credibility are important contributors of performance at the polls. Inconsistent and contradictory campaign messages, poor decisions and destructive behaviour had substantial repercussions for parties at the polls.