RISE Mzansi NLC meets to reflect on the elections and chart the next steps
4 June 2024
The RISE Mzansi National Leadership Collective (NLC) met on Monday, 3 June 2024 to take stock of the 29 May 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
This is the first election we contested after launching on 19 April 2023, and we are proud of what we have achieved with the support of South Africans, enabling us to send two representatives to the National Assembly and one representative to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Election results and the IEC
Notwithstanding the below par management of this election by the IEC and over 30 objections by RISE Mzansi to which the commission has not responded, the RISE Mzansi NLC accepts that the elections were free and fair. This is because we do not believe that the unresolved matters would have a material effect on the outcome of the election.
However, we must ensure that the IEC and other Chapter 9 Institutions are properly resourced. This is a matter that we will take on in the National Assembly.
With a registered voter base of almost 27-million and 16,2-million votes cast, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to activate the approximately 11,5-million people who did not vote on 29 May.
Coalitions
The RISE Mzansi NLC note the coalition options that have been publicly placed on the table.
We urge all parties involved to set aside narrow political interests and do their best to ensure that coalition arrangements serve, first and foremost, the interests and wellbeing of the South African people.
We will vigorously oppose any coalition government that include political parties that have declared war on the Constitution and the rule of law, and general order in society. The hallmark of any functioning democracy is the peaceful transfer of power, and this is a tradition we must protect at all times.
RISE Mzansi urges the public to be vigilant against misinformation and disinformation, including the use of artificial intelligence techniques, whose intention is to undermine the credibility of our democratic system. South Africans must exercise extreme caution before distributing untested allegations from unknown sources as this can inflame political tensions, and lead to violence.
Approach to the election of the President and Speaker
We will make a definitive assessment of the people and the parties put forward, but as a non-negotiable, the individuals and the parties must be committed to the Constitution and suitably qualified to dispense of the respective duties and responsibilities for them to have the support of RISE Mzansi.
Formation of a Joint National Assembly Caucus
The RISE Mzansi NLC discussed reaching out to several centrist political parties, who we believe we would be able to work with in the National Assembly, and therefore extend our coverage and influence in the National Assembly and society in general.
By-elections
Some Ward Councillors will progress to become Members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures, therefore creating vacancies, which will require that by-elections take place. The first of these will be Ward 87 in Johannesburg, where we registered on average 10% of the support across the Voting Districts.
Building RISE Mzansi
We did not start RISE Mzansi for one election, we started RISE Mzansi because we firmly South Africa needs a political alternative, especially one that does not carry the baggage of being born out of an established political party. We are in this for the long run, and we remain committed to building a safe, prosperous, equal and united South Africa in a single generation.
We would like to once again thank the people of South Africa who placed their 'X' next to RISE Mzansi. Our public representatives will not only fight for RISE Mzansi voters, they will fight for all South Africans.
Issued by Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, RISE Mzansi National Chairperson, 4 June 2024
