The release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the elections of 1994 led to the dawn of a new era in South Africa. However, this new era has seen the mushrooming of new animosities and enmities. The apprehensions and insecurities of the Indian community (2.5 per cent of the South African population) loom large. As a consequence, it has hovered towards different political parties, as evidenced from the first three elections, where Indians in large numbers lost faith in government, political parties and leaderships. This study analyses the political participation of PIOs in South Africa since 1990, by focusing on their involvement in the transitional phase of democracy and national elections to date.
