The tyranny of party loyalty: how SA's politics is held hostage

THERE is a peculiar malaise gnawing at the heart of South African democracy. It is not the overt corruption or the brazen incompetence that so often dominates headlines, but something more insidious, something that quietly undermines the very foundations of our political system.

- NCO DUBE

This malaise is the cult of political party loyalty. In a country still wrestling with the ghosts of its past and the uncertainties of its future, blind allegiance to political parties and the toxic factionalism it breeds have become obstacles to genuine progress, independent thought, and the placing of the nation above narrow interests.

Anatomy of party loyalty

Party loyalty in South Africa is not merely a matter of preference or ideological alignment. It is a deeply entrenched, almost tribal phenomenon. For many, political identity is inherited, not chosen. The ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), and other parties have cultivated bases that often view dissent as treason and critical engagement as a betrayal.

This loyalty is reinforced by a history of struggle and liberation, particularly in the case of the ANC. For many South Africans, to question the ANC is to question the legitimacy of the very freedom they enjoy. But this sentiment is not unique to the ANC. Across the political spectrum, parties have weaponised loyalty, turning supporters into foot soldiers and critics into enemies.

At first glance, loyalty may seem virtuous; however, in the South African context, it has become a double-edged sword. The cost is measured in the stifling of independent thought, the erosion of accountability, and the prioritisation of party interests over the national good.

Intra-party factionalism

If party loyalty is the glue that binds, intra-party factionalism is the rot that festers beneath the surface. Nowhere is this more evident than within the ANC, where factional battles have become a permanent feature of the political landscape. But the DA, MKP, IFP and EFF are not immune; they too have seen their share of internal rifts and purges.