Occasional Paper

How the ANC won the 2004 Elections: Perspectives on voting behaviour in South Africa

“In an effort to offer an explanation for the ANC’s electoral victory in the period 1994 to 2004, the paper will discuss the voting patterns of South Africans with regard to economic policies, campaign strategies and alliances. A closer scrutiny of the voting reveals that the politics of identity rather than the “race” factor remain the most convincing explanation. In order to validate this stance, the paper will
discuss voting patterns for the ANC together with those of the other political parties.”