Johannesburg, South Africa – Mpimo Hlavanganwane is far younger than South Africa’s democracy. The 23-year-old grew up in Chiawelo, the same area of Soweto that President Cyril Ramaphosa calls home. Moments before the president arrived at the Hitekani Primary School to cast his ballot in front of the glare of flashing cameras on Wednesday, Hlavanganwane quietly queued to vote.
In the narrative of Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), Hlavanganwane is among the “Tintswalos” — the name given to young South Africans born after the introduction of democracy who benefitted from the ANC government.
