Democracy and security in South Africa

In 1994, the Nationalist Party voluntarily relinquished control of the racist apartheid government it had firmly controlled since 1948. After 27 years of imprisonment, African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela was released from prison by the apartheid government, and soon thereafter became the first black president of South Africa. While the change initiated a new era in South Africa’s history, shifting political control from a minority-led to a majority-led government, problems have lingered in the country that continue to pose potential security and stability issues for its democratic regime. These problems include economic inequality, land distribution issues, endemic poverty, unemployment, issues of political party governance and representation, issues associated with protest rioting, and issues associated with South Africa’s large-scale private security industry. The consolidation of political power at all levels of government under ANC rule has led to an entrenched, inflexible governing structure that is still unresponsive to the South African people.