A comparative analysis of the relationship between political party preference and one-party dominance in Botswana and South Africa

Abstract

Through employing a comparative case study as a research design as well as the data collection technique of document analysis, this study sought to comparatively examine whether party preference led to one party dominance in Botswana and South Africa. The main sources of data for the study were the Afrobarometer surveys cycles of 2002/2003, 2005/2006, 2008/2009, and 2011/2013 as well as 2014/2015 and the National Election results of both countries between the years 2004-2014. The study revealed amongst other things that the Batswana like South Africans where in favour of many political parties within their state. However, as compared to the Batswana, South Africans possessed higher tolerance towards opposition political parties. While at the same time in both countries, there is more trust towards incumbent governing parties. This sentiment was consistent with electoral results in which the Botswana Democratic Party enjoyed majority support, since opposition parties had fragmented support. These findings are similar to South African experience. Despite the positive predisposition towards the governing parties in both countries; the study further provided evidence that in Botswana opposition parties enjoyed a larger share of the electoral support, which is fragmented amongst the opposition political parties; as a result, this fragmentation in conjunction with the electoral system in Botswana maintains the BDP's electoral and legislative dominance. While in South Africa, voter apathy maintains one party dominance. This is a result of failure of some of the South African electorate to take advantage of their universal suffrage right. To this end, the remaining active voters continue to maintain dominance of the ANC.