Why voters must put competence before race

Only when significant numbers of South Africans stop voting based on race and ethnicity, will citizens get the prosperity dividends of democracy, more effective public services, more employment and safer communities.

The early results of the 4 November 2026 local government elections show that many South African voters are beginning to move away from race and ethnicity-based voting.

The challenge for countries, such as South Africa, that comes from a racially and ethnically divided past, where parties were also formed along race and ethnic lines, is for voters to make the psychological break, moving away from voting along race and ethnic lines, to vote based on competency.

By voting based on race and ethnicity, voters limit their own power. They give a free pass to the politicians and political parties they vote for. Those elected on this basis do not have to be accountable because they know their voters will continue to vote for them based on shared race and ethnicity, no matter whether they are corrupt, incompetent and uncaring in government.

In a democracy, elected representatives and governing parties will become accountable only if they fear their voters will vote for other parties if they fail to deliver.

It is no surprise that many corrupt, incompetent and uncaring black South African politicians often call for voters to vote for them based on race and ethnicity because they have little else to offer.

Many South African politicians have developed a niche for themselves through this baiting and often blaming current problems caused by the ANC, on other races and ethnic groups.

In a multiracial democracy, one should not identify with a political party as if such a political party is the same as one’s race and ethnic identity. Sadly, many South Africans have wrongly made the political party they support synonymous with their individual identities. This means that if their political parties fail in government, they internalise their parties’ failures as their own.

Furthermore, in a democracy, citizens should not support political parties based on the way they support football clubs, such as AmaZulu, Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs, which are backed through thick and thin. A political party is not a football club to be loyally supported until death.

Many voters also wrongly believe that only leaders and parties that share the same ethnicity and race as them will look after their interests. Voters must vote for leaders and parties that govern in the interest of all of South Africa.

Many political parties and voters also wrongly believe that only if their ethnic group or race is in power, will their interests be looked after. South Africa is a multiracial democracy and no party that governs for only one ethnic group or race can govern the country effectively, tackle the country’s complex problems and deliver prosperity for all.

Many voters wrongly view voting in a narrow fashion, believing that the right to vote means the right to vote for the party they support, whether based on race, ethnicity or ideology.

Voting is more than just voting for the party one traditionally supports. The essence of voting is that one can vote for another party, if their party does not deliver.

It is critical that voters begin to vote for parties and leaders based on their competence, honesty and the extent to which they prioritise the public interest. This will mean that voters might have to vote for parties and leaders that are not of the same ethnicity and race as them.

Unless South Africa moves to a post-racial and post-ethnicity voting, effective public services, employment creation and safety for all will remain a distant dream. The early results from the 4 November 2026 local government elections, bring a glimmer of hope — that voters are beginning to move away from race and ethnicity-based voting, towards parties and leaders who could govern competently, honestly and in the widest public interest.

It is important that the parties and leaders who are elected into councils govern with honesty, competence and in the best interest of the voters who gave them a chance to be in power.

William Gumede is associate professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and author of Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times (Tafelberg)

The article is based on his recent interview with ‘The Economist’ magazine.