Evaluating William Gumede's elements of democratic deficit as an adverse feature of liberation movements in government : the case of the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa

Abstract

The research in this dissertation consists of a critical literature study and evaluation of William Gumede’s (2017) elements of democratic deficit as a feature of liberation movements. Examining the political culture of the ANC within the theoretical framework presented by Gumede (2017), three research questions are addressed in relation to the applicability of Gumede’s framework on the political cultures of liberation movements, the impact thereof on the decline in legitimacy and voter support for the ANC in South Africa, and the primary elements of democratic deficit demonstrated by the ANC which have impacted on democratic consolidation in South Africa since 1994.