FF Plus grows 13% and increases number of seats

Ten of the 13 political parties which had been elected to Parliament in 2009 fared worse in the 2014 elections, of which 4 will not be returning to Parliament.

Only three political parties have grown since the 2009 elections. It is the DA, UDM and the Freedom Front Plus.

The FF Plus has grown by 13% from 146 796 votes in 2009 to 165 715 in this elections. The party obtained a seat in the Northwest and retained all its previous seats. The party now has representatives in Gauteng, Free State, Northwest and four seats in Parliament.

"I would like to thank the old and new FF Plus voters for their support during the elections. They kept on supporting the FF Plus despite the intensive DA propaganda campaign which through radio advertisements and pamphlets had specifically been targeted at the FF Plus. Due to the financial inequalities of the South African election campaigns, which has been caused by state funding, it is very difficult for smaller parties to compete with other parties on an equal footing and to respond to this type of propaganda. That is why I am grateful for the large increase the party has shown," Dr. Pieter Mulder, the leader of the FF Plus said.

Internationally, the political trend is that minority rights and the protection of minorities are increasingly being placed in the forefront. South Africa will not escape that reality. This explains why the FF Plus has grown and will for many years still play a political role.

As the DA becomes bigger, it is inevitable that the party will shift its emphasis to the management of the majority's interests. This will in future increasingly create the space for parties such as the FF Plus to manage these minority interests in the political arena.

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus leader, May 10 2014

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