A two-part prediction: The 2009 election might be the closest in South African history since the 1940s (which does not in and of itself mean that it will be very close — since 1948 South African national elections have been characterized by one party dominance, whether in the form of the National Party under Apartheid or the African National Congress since). And as a result, the tone of the election might be the ugliest in the country's history. So far, at least, this latter prediction has some evidence to bolster it.
