S.Africans weigh in on vote ahead of Wednesday's election South Africa's May 8 election is set to test whether the ruling ANC party has staunched a decline in popularity caused by corruption scandals, lacklustre growth and record unemployment. The election comes 25 years since Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress (ANC) to power in the country's first multi-racial ballot, which marked the globally-celebrated end of apartheid rule.