3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Elections--South Africa

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    The effective of redistricting on South Africa's electocal process: the case of Gauteng
    (2017) Agrizzi, Giancarlo
    This thesis aims to analyse the effects of redistricting on the South African electoral processes, placing specific focus on the region of Gauteng and the three metropolitan municipalities located within it. While significant research on South Africa’s electoral system has been conducted, not much has been done with regards to the demarcation process in South Africa. Elections have been suggested to form a fundamental part of any democratic system, which coincides with the idea that institutional integrity ensures a strong democracy. In the context of constituency-based systems, many countries have displayed elements of using the process of redistricting to gain political advantage over another party. The act of redistricting manipulation was later referred to as gerrymandering, which is the manipulation of district lines by one political party to gain an advantage over another. The original contribution of this thesis lies primarily in its investigation into the effects of redistricting on electoral processes, which make use of a multiple case study research design to identify redistricting and demarcation tools and techniques aimed at resolving the past inequalities and ensuring effective elections. This approach has been adopted because multiple cases allow for a wide-range of perspectives on the study to be gathered and establishes a platform for comprehensive generalisations. Repeated evidence from multiple case studies assists in better supporting these generalised findings. Complementary to the multiple case study approach, this thesis makes use of qualitative data obtained from the Independent Electoral Commission and Municipal Demarcations Board.
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    Race and the Democratic Alliance: an analysis of the party’s performance in elections with specific reference to the 2011 local government elections
    (2017) Roodt, Marius
    This thesis aims to determine the impact that race has on voting patterns in South Africa, and whether race is still the most salient factor in determining how South Africans vote. The focus is on local government elections and the performance of the Democratic Alliance (DA), and examines voting patterns and demographic indicators (such as race and income and education levels) in selected wards to ascertain what trends and exist, specifically looking at how important race still is in determining how South Africans vote. Through a thorough review of the existing literature, as well as an examination of selected wards (both those in metropolitan municipalities and those in rural areas) this thesis aims to find an answer to the question of whether South African elections are still little more than racial censuses. This thesis also examines to what degree other social indicators affect how people vote. Although the findings broadly show that the ‘racial census’ theory of voting patterns in South Africa still broadly holds true, there are indications that this is changing and that South African voters are increasingly becoming ‘floating’ voters.
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    The determinants of ideological moderation in the South African party systems: 1994-2014
    (2017) Adaken, Letitia
    The purpose of this study is to examine the causes of ideological moderation in the South African party system in the post-1994 period. Previous research stresses the non-left-right feature of politics and when it recognises the centrist feature of major parties and moderation of the party system, the causes of the latter are unexplained. The deficiency in previous research is that moderation and limited left-right disagreements as fundamental causes of broader political dynamics are overlooked — moderate systems foster political consensus and democratic stability. In this study I critically examine three theoretical causal variables that account for moderation: the electoral system, the electorate, and the dominant party. This study relies on a measurement of party system fragmentation, and voter and party system polarisation, as well as an intensive qualitative assessment of the ANC. The evidence is based on a number of nationally representative surveys that measure public opinion; interviews with political party leaders and representatives, and officials from labour and business; and document analysis. The finding is that the ANC as the dominant party is the main driver of moderation in the party system. Coupled with electoral dominance, the centripetal, non-dogmatic, pragmatic and flexible tendencies that characterise the ANC permit the party to induce and stabilise party system moderation. This study: develops a causal framework for understanding moderation; builds on previous research about the centrism of major parties and the moderation of the party system (both quantitatively and qualitatively); departs from the argument about the fragmented and rightist nature of the opposition bloc and the race-based approach to the electorate; and extends the debate about the ANC by arguing that left-right movement occurs within centrist terrain, and that the party is not an amorphous or client entity but a clearly defined one. I also add to: the growing body of knowledge that finds no necessary connection between proportionalism, extremist party positioning and polarisation; the idea that party system polarisation is less reflective of voter polarisation; and concur with previous research that argues that the role of a pivotal centre party is critical for the party system.
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    The influence of social media political marketing on trust, loyalty and voting intention of youth voters in South Africa
    (2016) Dabula, Nandi
    South Africa has witnessed a decline in youth voter turnout. Consequently, political parties are integrating social media in their political marketing strategies in order to appeal to the youth voters. Notwithstanding the cumulative research that has been conducted on social media political marketing globally, there is dearth of such research in South Africa. Furthermore, no studies have explored the influence of social media political marketing on voter trust, loyalty and voting intention of the youth in the South African political context. This research intends to contribute to the increasing knowledge on the efficacy of social media political marketing by political parties in South Africa to engage with the youth and improve their election turn out. The two main research objectives the study seeks to achieve are to establish the influence of social media political marketing on voting intention, with voter trust and voter loyalty as mediators and to determine which mediator (voter trust or voter loyalty) has the strongest influence on the outcome variable (voting intention). Using a data set of 250 respondents, between the ages of 18 and 35 years, from Gauteng Province in South Africa, this study explores these relationships. The study outcome is that all five hypotheses are supported. The results denote that the relationship between social media political marketing and voter trust, social media political marketing and voter loyalty, voter trust and voter loyalty, voter trust and voting intention and voter loyalty and voting intention are all positive in a significant way. The research paper deliberates on the implications of the results from an academic, political party, legal and marketers’ perspective. In addition, directions for future research are suggested.
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