Opposition parties need to use the next three months wisely

The next three months will be a critical time for opposition parties in South Africa following the announcement that the general and provincial elections will be held in May.

This according to political analyst Sipho Seepe who said the upcoming election was a moment opposition parties have been waiting for. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday that the general and provincial elections will be held on 29 May.

“The ANC is on its knees both organisationally and in government. The effects of its failures are being felt nationally and at the local level. This is what the opposition parties have been waiting for,” Seepe said. 

ANC PREDICTED TO FALL BELOW THE 50% MARK

Professor David Everatt of the Wits School of Governance said unless something unforeseen occurs, the shape of post-election South Africa was already reasonably clear. 

Everatt predicts that ANC will receive well below the 50% mark but bigger than any other party; the DA will receive 19% and the EFF 16%. 

“The EFF performance is important – but is not a profound change to electoral politics, despite media attention and speculation.

It is outperforming the DA in four provinces and may soon challenge the DA as the official opposition in South Africa. 

Yet the growth of the party is far from stellar; it is incremental, growing by a couple of percentage points here and there, and seems to have a vote ceiling just as the DA does,” he said.

OPPOSITION PARTIES FOCUSING ON THE NEXT THREE MONTHS

DA Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube told Newzroom Afrika the party’s focus now was on the next three months. 

“Our focus now is on the next three months, and we are glad that the president has made the announcement, and this is a critical moment in our democracy. 

For us now the very big challenge is taking our offer to every single South African and selling what we are offering them. Because we are asking South Africans to make a very different choice this time around, and give other political parties a chance,” she said.

The EFF said it was time for South Africans to put an end to the “misery” they have suffered under the ruling party.

“These elections mark an opportunity for all South Africans to put an end to the misery we have suffered as a nation, under the incompetent, corrupt and misguided governance of the ruling party the ANC for 30-years. 

The 29th of May 2024 officially marks an opportunity for our nation to achieve true freedom, which at the centre of it sits economic freedom,” the party said.

Ramaphosa called on eligible voters to fully participate in the elections.

“Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire.

I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who will be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law.

We also urge unregistered voters to use the online registration platform to register,” Ramaphosa said.