The 56,000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium in the South African port city of Durban was jammed for the unveiling of the ruling African National Congress¡¯ election manifesto launch.

¡°We are supported by millions and millions of people,¡± President Cyril Ramaphosa told the cheering crowd in February, scoffing at the notion that his party was a spent political force after three decades in power. ¡°The ANC remains the party of choice.¡±

In the weeks that followed, the arena built to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010 was full again. But it was the ANC¡¯s rivals, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters, that packed it to capacity.