May 18, 2011 brings about local government elections in South Africa.  A chance for communities to choose their mayors and ward councilors, the people they will blame when things go wrong.  A time when political parties wake up from their slumber and dust off their “Political Promises and Rhetoric” handbooks in a bid to convince unsuspecting masses to forget the failures of yesteryear and vote for them…again.

As happens every year discussions are held regarding who will vote for whom.  With every discussion race rears its ugly head.  Of the front-runners we have on the one hand the African National Congress (ANC), a black party with impressive struggle credentials. Their courage freed the black people of South Africa from an oppressive apartheid regime.  As the ruling party they have, despite many controversies, kept South Africa functioning with a stable economy.

On the other hand there’s the Democratic Alliance (DA), a predominantly white party led by a formidable lady named Helen Zille.  The DA won the right to run Cape Town, and while they haven’t proven much in the way of racial integration and diversity, they have shown themselves to be more than an opposition party, capable of effectively managing a municipality.

Read the full article at The Atlanta Post.

(Photo: anc.org.za)