South Africa's Ramaphosa to announce election date this month - spokesman

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa after the judgement of the ICJ, in Johannesburg

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attends the ruling African National Congress party's National Executive Committee meeting after the judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague on emergency measures against Israel, following accusations by South Africa that the Israeli military operation in Gaza is a state-led genocide, in Johannesburg, South Africa, January 26, 2024. REUTERS/Alet Pretorius/File Photo

Source: X07761

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the date of this year's general election later this month, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

"If you count from tomorrow, the president will announce the election date within 15 days," Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told reporters.

Political analysts say record power cuts, poor service delivery and high levels of unemployment are likely to hurt the governing African National Congress (ANC) party that Ramaphosa, 71, leads, threatening the loss of its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Ramaphosa, who has struggled to rekindle economic growth since taking over from his scandal-plagued predecessor Jacob Zuma in 2018, will seek a second term as president.

Voters will elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the country's nine provinces.

The National Assembly elects the president after the vote.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters