South Africa stands on the brink of salvation—or catastrophe

SOUTH AFRICA is seeing the biggest shake-up in its politics in the 30 years since the end of apartheid. The African National Congress (ANC), which has governed since 1994, has been rejected by almost 60% of voters. Given the ANC’s record of corruption, rotten governance, economic stagnation and rising unemployment, the country should be celebrating. Instead it is anxiously awaiting the results of backroom negotiations that will determine which path South Africa takes. The stakes could not be higher. One fork leads to the certain prospect of reckless populism, venality and economic crisis; the other to pragmatism and the hope of renewal.