ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book demonstrates that it seems that the African National Congress’s (ANC) electoral capital as the liberator and the deliverer of freedom and democracy is waning; yet opposition parties are unable to rise a challenger parties to counter the electoral hegemony of the ANC. It argues that electoral behaviour and shifts in political partisanship and loyalties are fluid. The book suggests that partisan loyalties are declining and that there is a need for greater electoral competition given that political parties may attempt to capitalise on partisan loyalties to increase or maintain their share of the electoral pie. This strategy, as Africa demonstrates, may not necessarily be viable to facilitate substantive electoral competition between political parties. The book looks at the youth population, only 49% of South Africa’s young people registered to vote, and, for the age group 18–19-year old, only 19% registered to vote.
