With support for the ruling South Africa ANC party dropping as years of neglect come home to roost with potholed roads, uncollected rubbish, and water and electricity supplies shut off for hours, if not days on end, Monday’s municipal elections will serve as a litmus test of support for President Cyril Ramaphosa. He is likely to seek a second term as head of the ANC next year and then as the nation’s leader in 2024 but he is facing an uphill battle to revive the coronavirus-battered economy and end corruption that has devastated state finances. The country has been hit by a series of crippling power blackouts with the state-owned power utility Eskom, which provides about 90% of South Africa’s electricity, struggling to survive. For years it has been marred by allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
Ramaphosa’s chart, 17 November 1952, looks trapped and enraged through 2022 with tr Pluto conjunct his Mars; and in a state of complete disruption come 2023/24 with tr Uranus square his Pluto and opposition his Sun.
His 25 May 2019 11.30am Term chart is logjammed for the next few months into 2022 and not fulfilling his hopes for two years thereafter.
The modern South Africa, 27 April 1994 12 am Pretoria, chart has Uranus moving across the IC and through its domestic 4th house for seven years ahead indicating a restless electorate who want to pull away from the past. Tr Pluto conjunct the Uranus through 2022 could see demos and rebellions, certainly a push for radical change. Tr Saturn moving down through the lower profile First Quadrant from this year doesn’t suggest prosperity coming any time soon over the next few years. It may be almost the end of this decade as tr Pluto moves across the Ascendant that the country gets a grip.
The 31 May 1910 country chart is in a state of upheaval as well as completely stuck exactly now with tr Pluto conjunct the Uranus and the Solar Arc Sun square Pluto. 2022/23 look lacklustre and sagging years with tr Neptune square the Pluto and opposition the Solar Arc Sun. With deprivation and hardship in 2024/25 as tr Pluto squares the Saturn; but possibly shifting into more enthusiastic times come 2026/7/8.
A sarcastic post by a local blogger lets rip about the state of South Africa: ‘Democracy, if that is indeed a real word, has been hollowed out by over a decade of state-sponsored mega violence, self-imposed austerity, weapons-grade incompetence, craven corruption.’ ‘The elections of the future won’t matter at all – they’ll be show trials for lousy ideas crafted by an increasingly inept array of second-rate autocrats. This is, of course, not a polite observation in a country where thousands died for the right…’
A tragedy.
Add On: The African National Congress (ANC) which has been in power since Mandela’s election in 1994 was founded 8 January 1912. Oddly enough only a few days after Kim Philby was born – totally unconnected – except both charts have Mars conjunct Algol in Taurus so both were guaranteed to have a turbulent history. At the moment the tr Uranus square tr Saturn is causing ructions colliding with the ANC Saturn until early 2022; with severe stress till late this month from tr Pluto trine the Mars; and more obvious upheavals in 2022/23 from tr Pluto conjunct the ANC Uranus. 2023 to 2025 will undermine the party’s power and influence as tr Neptune squares the ANC Pluto.
When Mandela was elected the ANC was on its First Uranus Return for a high, though the transiting South Node conjunct the ANC Mars and Algol might have pointed to problems to come.
I am not at all surprised that the electricity supplies in South Africa are failing. As part of my employment in the 1990’s I used to come into contact with maintenance engineers.
One of these, originally from the UK, had been a senior engineer in one of the larger power stations in the south of the country. After the ANC took over they had decreed that the manager of every power station had to be black.
The manager appointed to the station where he worked had friends in the upper echelons of the ANC, but no engineering knowledge whatever. Within months large sums of money disappeared from the accounts for maintenance, new plant and fuel etc. In addition a number of the friends and relatives of this manager, who also had no engineering qualifications, were given highly paid positions
Well, Ramaphosa’s chart is incredibly fixed with the Sun/Moon in Scorpio (conjunct Algol! that old thing…..) he has nothing, if not staying power, but the Sun/Moon squares Pluto also – so it looks as though he fights fire with fire as he instinctively – like many powerful people – craves more…what? Its an excellent chart for a politician but ultimately extreme – is it just all the Scorpio stuff or Algol’s powerful aspects which cause so many difficulties and contradictions…….he’s a stayer but won’t compromise a centimeter…..
Thank you for this. Unfortunately, what I suspected sits in your reading. It is such a shame as the country is filled with many, trying so very hard to keep it afloat. But yet again, as AnneLinda wrote, the horrific amount of corruption only adds to the mayhem. And today I was told that many also fear what may happen this week as local elections take place. Sadly, the vast electorate, many who only given voting rights in 1994, fear the return of Apartheid, and therefore their loyalty to the ANC is almost irrational when it is obvious to outsiders that the ANC has sucked the country dry financially. One can only hope as you wrote, that things improve in 2026/7/8. Fingers crossed and thank you once again.
South Africa’s Independence from Great Britain was commemorated the first time on 31 May, 1961
Living in South Africa it is really difficult with the horrific amount of corruption…one can only hope that maybe Jupiter or Venus may somewhere smile on us….purely to give us a little break….American has Trump …we have Zuma
Thank you Majorie