Civil groups should help carry the ball to defeat ANC in 2024 elections

28 November 2023  

The political parties of the Multi-party Charter have joined hands and levelled the playing field to allow the private sector to actively participate in defeating the ANC at the polls.

The ball is now in the court of civil organisations, whose help is needed to draw up a game plan for how to go about it.

That is why the political parties of the Multi-party Charter today engaged in talks with a number of organisations, including churches and several other civil institutions, in Ekurhuleni.

Apart from the eight parties comprising the Charter, including the FF Plus, the following organisations were present:

Accord, Afriforum, the Afrikanerbond, Brenthurst Foundation, Centre for Innovative Leadership, Defend our Democracy, the Dutch Reformed Church, FW de Klerk Foundation, Funeral Industry Reformed Association (FIRA), Youth Employment Accelerator (Harambee), Helen Suzman Foundation, Inclusive Society Institute, Institute of Race Relations (IRV), Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce, Cape Forum, National Community Dialogue, Ndifuna Ukwazi, Operation Watershed 2024, the Organization Against Tax Abuse (OUTA), SACanWork, South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), Solidarity, the United South African Movement (TUSAM), Youth Lab, Afrikaans Language Council, Independent South African National Civic Organization (ISANCO), SNP, United Independent Movement (UIM), GroupsRUs, Teubes Family Wines and Wesco Forensic Services.

The fact of the matter is that voters are ultimately the ones who decide who should govern the country.

At the moment, there is not a single political party that will be able to defeat the ANC on its own. A team effort is required and hands should be joined across a broad front.

In order to accomplish this, the most powerful and collective message conveyed to voters should be: register and vote. There is not a single person in South Africa who has not had to roll up their sleeves and tackle every area where government has failed.

From repairing potholes to fighting crime, South Africans have already joined hands to protect their own interests where the ANC government has failed to fulfil its constitutional duties.

Companies currently using their own money to pay for services that government is supposed to deliver will be able to put those funds to better use, such as growing the business or creating jobs.

Political parties are eager to hear what proposals and recommendations civil society and organisations will come up with. It is important to keep in mind that the Constitution only allows fourteen days for the formation of a coalition government after an election. Therefore, expectations should be discussed now already.

South Africa has a proportional voting system. This means that every voter who is eligible to vote, but neglects to vote for their preferred party against the ANC increases the ANC's majority with that very vote.

This is the message that political parties and civil organisations ought to share collectively and powerfully. It is the key to success at the polls.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 28 November 2023