South Africa's Blackouts Threaten President Ramaphosa's Ruling Party as Country Heads to the Polls

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a new Cabinet minister this week to deal with the country's electricity crisis. This is part of a government reorganization before the upcoming general elections. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, a former local government head in Pretoria, was chosen as the new minister of electricity. Ramaphosa called this a temporary position. Paul Matashile was also appointed as the deputy minister to replace David Mabuza, who resigned last month. Matashile previously held positions in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) before being elected as the party's deputy president in December. Millions of South Africans voted in the recent election, which is considered the most significant since the end of apartheid in 1994. The ruling ANC is facing challenges and may need to form coalitions to stay in power. Many people are unhappy due to high unemployment, crime rates, poor public services, and lack of progress for black residents since the end of apartheid. Unemployment is especially high among young people. Some voters expressed their dissatisfaction and intentions to support opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA). They feel frustrated with the current situation and lack of action on issues like crime. Former President Zuma has formed a new party that could affect the ANC's votes. The DA aims to bring change and had a significant share of votes in the previous election. Overall, this election is crucial for South Africa's future. It marks a potential shift from ANC dominance and could lead to a new era of coalition politics. The outcome will have a lasting impact on the country's direction.