South Africa’s election on April 22 is the most important since the return of fully democratic rule in 1994, largely because of the near-inevitability of the result - the triumph of a controversial figure at a time of acute economic uncertainty.  

Jacob Zuma, the candidate of the African National Congress, enters the campaign with his reputation still tarnished by allegations of corruption, even though the National Prosecuting Authority decided earlier this month to drop charges against him.