South Africa among 'shining lights' of elections held globally in 2024
Turmoil is sweeping the globe in the world’s biggest election year ever. Blame inflation and governments unable to provide solutions, says Dr Philani Mthembu of the Institute for Global Dialogue.
A man bangs a cooking pot during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Valencia, Carabobo state, Venezuela on 29 July 2024, a day after the Venezuelan presidential election. Picture: AFP
Bongani Bingwa interviews Dr Philani Mthembu, Executive Director at the Institute for Global Dialogue.
Listen below.
Turmoil and upheaval are sweeping the globe, from Venezuela to Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom.
The world is witnessing a surge of protests and demonstrations, ranging from far-right anti-immigration violence in Britain to the abrupt resignation and flight of Bangladesh's Prime Minister.
This year is the world's biggest election year; 64 countries - representing half the world's population - are electing new leaders.
Mthembu says the global unrest is driven by persistent inflation, which has not fully stabilised after the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It's plain to see world populations are struggling with a cost of living crisis and with officials who seem unable to provide solutions."
- Philani Mthembu, Executive Director – Institute for Global Dialogue
Last month, Kenyan President William Ruto announced the dismissal of nearly his entire cabinet in response to widespread anti-government protests.
In the United Kingdom, newly-appointed Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a tough challenge, warning far-right protesters on Sunday that they would 'regret' their involvement in England's worst rioting in 13 years, which flared up following the tragic murder of three children earlier in the week.
Despite these global leadership challenges, Bingwa notes that South Africa is achieving a smooth transition following our historic recent elections.
Mthembu agrees, describing our elections as one of the 'shining lights' among those held globally this year.
However, he cautions that despite our successful management of the elections, the fact that 25 million eligible voters did not participate signals a concerning trend of non-engagement that we must remain vigilant about.
"Once you have a massive chunk of the population not bothering to register or vote, then we need to already put mechanisms in place to understand that people are not going through the formal electoral processes, and that should be a cause for concern."
- Philani Mthembu, Executive Director – Institute for Global Dialogue
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