USA and China compete for influence on the formation of parliamentary coalitions in South Africa as a key country in the region

On May 29, 2024, the Republic of South Africa held general elections to the National Assembly and provincial legislatures in each of the nine provinces. These were the seventh general elections since the end of apartheid in 1994.

In the global context, this will affect Cape Town’s participation in global political and economic transformation processes, from the country’s further participation in the BRICS and trade relations with the United States to the format of interaction with the West and the authoritarian axis.

These elections illustrate Beijing’s dual strategy to influence South Africa’s political elites. China seeks to turn as many political regimes in the Global South as possible into loyal or neutral-positive allies, preparing for a potential global conflict with the Free World. It views the African continent as a raw material appendage and military foothold.