Examining Governance and Institutions in South Africa: An Analysis of Post-Apartheid Institutions

Abstract

South Africa is often lauded as the paragon of democracy on the African continent. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the country has enjoyed a relatively stable democracy that has seen new presidents assuming the leadership. This paper explores South Africa’s institutional set-up post-1994 and how this is fundamental in protecting the country’s democracy. Providing the African context where some countries shifted to one-party states, this paper argues that South Africa avoided the trajectory followed by countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe. Drawing on path dependence, it highlights that despite this divergence, South Africa inherited an uneven system that has contributed to the persistent disparities between the rich and the poor. The apartheid systems that once governed the country are still at play today; as a result, issues such as unemployment remain widespread. Chapter Nine institutions, as outlined in the South African Constitution, are mechanisms designed to protect and uphold democracy. The advent of state capture demonstrated their importance: without them, it is likely that state capture would have gone unchecked, further undermining the country’s democratic functions. This paper emphasises that, as South Africa commemorates 30 years of democracy in 2024, there must be concerted efforts to strengthen these institutions against threats such as state capture, which erode the foundations of democracy.