Nelson Mandela’s party has ruled South Africa for three decades – it now faces a critical moment of truth

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN — South Africans go to the polls on May 29 for what will likely be the most pivotal general election since the end of apartheid.

Polls show the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party could lose its majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led the party to power in 1994. While polling can be challenging in South Africa, most analysts believe that the ANC faces its stiffest challenge yet with a population deeply frustrated by the country’s direction.

This is the seventh general election South Africa has held since the end of white minority rule 30 years ago. A record 27.79 million people are registered to vote – the highest number to date, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC.) The slide in popularity mirrors the challenges of liberation movements that have transitioned into governing parties across the continent.