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The thesis sets out to scrutinise the paradox of South Africa’s successful democratic

development and its stagnant inequality. Due to the country’s remarkable transition towards

an inclusive democracy in the 1990s, and moreover with the incoherent human development,

the country becomes unique in its region and therefore a suitable deviant case to study. The

analysis will be built upon a theoretical framework focusing on the dominant party-system,

social- and political trust and support along with the capabilities approach.

ANC have dominated the political playing field since the first all-race election, however

without achievements in inequality reduction and mediocre improvements regarding wellbeing.

The research indicates an erosion in trust and support for the government. If ‘bad

governance’ persist, accumulated dissatisfaction could lead to disillusion regarding the

democracy as an ideal, hence undermining the South African democracy.