There is something significant in the run-up to the election that will likely have far-reaching consequences for the country. Unfortunately, it is obscured by the intensity of political party campaigns.
Contemporary alliances between some political parties raise the possibility of a positive shift in South African politics. Sadly, society and political parties are really not appreciative of what is afoot.
Alliances can and have been forged for a variety of reasons — positive, opportunistic, survivalist and so on — and clearly some of those currently under way fall in these categories.
Generally, they have been interpreted negatively, although this is not really a true reflection of what alliances mean.
Thus, it is imperative for these alliances to be revisited to consider what they really contribute to the country’s democratic consolidation.
And here it is important to dwell on those alliances that concern the major political parties, as they are likely to have a significant impact on and far-reaching consequences for the whole of society.
At one level there is the alliance between the African National Congress and the New National Party — the former bitter rivals under apartheid.
What is significant is the extent to which this alliance moves away from narrowly defined politics — despite the contrary messages prevalent in the public eye that identity politics are dominant in South Africa.
What is clearly emerging, although it is still shrouded in infancy, is that identity politics are increasingly being shunted to the background where they rightly belong.
The ANC and the NNP are finding common ground on which to fight elections and this is a significant fact for South African politics given the history of animosity between these two parties.
These days it is difficult to detect major differences between what an ANC politician says and what an NNP counterpart advocates.
On many issues they have reached a commonality of views that is expressed emphatically by their leaders, who want “South Africa to work”.
Without judging the merits of their arguments, clearly this is something to applaud — at least there is some serious thawing of relations between what were hitherto declared enemies.
Of course, differences remain as their leaders vigorously maintain, but this is somewhat of a positive start.
Most likely and welcomingly this means the country is leaving behind parochial politics, allowing an environment where parties will get to the real business of addressing the material issues that concern South African voters.
From a different angle, the Democratic Alliance’s alliance with the Inkatha Freedom Party is equally interesting and welcome in that it asserts that political viewpoints are coalescing around common objectives.
What IFP Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi said recently in supporting his alliance with the DA — that it is based on “long shared values” — is very significant indeed.
The DA and IFP have at last found each other instead of clinging to restrictive politics shaped around the “fight back” strategy and ethnicity respectively.
They are increasingly asserting common denominators such as conservative micro-economic policies, the reinstatement of the death penalty and a much more relaxed labour regime.
This is clearly carving an agenda that counters that of the ANC, which can only be in the best interests of the country.
For the first time in South Africa’s post-1994 history, the main political protagonists are seriously and concretely defining what they really stand for, rather than being locked behind the facade of vitriolic identity politics.
It is not important whether one assesses the alliances as progressive or conservative. At least the battle lines are now being figuratively drawn around the most important issues that have to be addressed — the material concerns of the electorate.
This can only provide South African voters with an opportunity concretely to assess political parties.
It is up to the South African voters to decide, based on these policies, which alliance best represents their interests.
Again hopefully, we will see the demise of the tiresome rationalisations of the failures of political parties on the basis that voters are primarily moved by racial and ethnic emotions.
Clear choices around serious issues are being brought to the fore.
Maybe we are at a stage where we can confidently say we are starting to see a mellowing in South African politics.
From now on, it is safe to assume that at last South African elections in the post-apartheid era will not be simplistic rituals with a lot of bluster and very little substance.
Society will also be spared the raucous noises that dominate post-election scenarios when, instead of frankly analysing their failures, political parties harp on the alleged naivety and stupidity of voters.
One can only hope that for the sake of the country’s democratic consolidation that this trend continues.
Dr Thabisi Hoeane is a lecturer in the Department of Political and International Studies at Rhodes University Grahamstown. He contributes regularly to national print media. His PhD was on South African Electoral Studies and Democratisation.