VOA标准英语2009年-South African Parties File Lists for April Elec

In South Africa, battle lines have firmed and campaigning is heating up for national elections in two months.

South Africa moved a step closer Monday to national elections as political parties registered their candidates with the Independent Electoral Commission.
　
Supporters hold posters of ANC President Jacob Zuma during a rally in Khayelitsha

More than 23 million people are registered to vote on April 22. Nearly two-million of these are newly registered voters, many of them young people who have reached the minimum voting age of 18 years since the last election five years ago.

The African National Congress, which has dominated South African politics since the end of apartheid 15 years ago, is expected to win a majority of the seats in the next parliament. But the two-thirds majority it has enjoyed in the outgoing legislature is seen as threatened.

The ANC presidential candidate, Jacob Zuma, is promising¹ to do more for South Africa's poor majority who feel they have been left out of an economic boom that has raised standards of living for the emerging black middle class.

But Mr. Zuma also wants to reassure² businessmen and the international community his party will not abandon policies that have fostered growth.

"Nothing will change. We will continue with the programs," Zuma said. "Where adjustments will be made, they will be made within the broad framework of policy because our policy is not determined³ by individuals but by the [ANC] organization."

Mr. Zuma is campaigning under a cloud of corruption⁴ charges and is due to go on trial in August. He says if he is found guilty he will step down.

Voter interest has been heightened by a new party created by former ANC leaders who split after the party obliged former President Thabo Mbeki to resign with six months remaining in his term.

The Congress of the People, known as COPE, is hoping to attract the support of voters who are unhappy with what they see as growing corruption and abuse of power under the ANC.

As part of this appeal, COPE has selected as its presidential candidate a Methodist minister, Mvume Dandala, who was recently head of the Africa Council of Churches.

"It is time that people choose a government that is going to give them respect, choose a government that is going to stick to certain values that our communities know," Dandala said.

COPE was buoyed⁵ Sunday when former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka joined the party. She was one of several cabinet ministers who resigned their posts in sympathy with Mr. Mbeki's removal.

The Democratic Alliance, led by Cape⁶ Town Mayor Helen Zille, is also seeking to broaden its power base. Zille told national television she wants to end the ANC's control of Western Cape Province through alliances with other opposition⁷ parties.

"We will certainly look at forming coalitions⁸. The Democratic Alliance pioneered coalitions in South Africa. We have said from the start [that] it is part of realigning politics as a whole," Zille said.

The Democratic Alliance will also be competing against the Independent Democrats⁹ of Patricia de Lille which is also strong in the province.

The Inkatha Freedom Party led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi is seeking to regain¹⁰ control of southeastern Kwa-Zulu Natal¹¹ province.

Some incidents of political related violence, including several murders, have been reported although all party leaders have called for a peaceful campaign.

More than 150 parties have been registered, a leap from the two-dozen parties that competed in the first democratic elections in 1994.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 buoyed   

v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success. 在昨天胜利的鼓舞下，该队有信心再次获胜。
• His encouragement buoyed her up during that difficult period. 他的鼓励使她在那段困难时期恢复了乐观的情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 coalitions   

结合体，同盟( coalition的名词复数 )； （两党或多党）联合政府

参考例句：

• History testifies to the ineptitude of coalitions in waging war. 历史昭示我们，多数国家联合作战，其进行甚为困难。
• All the coalitions in history have disintegrated sooner or later. 历史上任何联盟迟早都垮台了。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

11 natal   

adj.出生的，先天的

参考例句：

• Many music-lovers make pilgrimages to Mozart's natal place.很多爱好音乐的人去访问莫扎特的出生地。
• Since natal day,characters possess the visual elements such as dots and strokes.文字从诞生开始便具有了点画这样的视觉元素。