Work only truly starts now for new parties making it onto the ballot paper

Now that two new, small political parties, Rise Mzansi and Build One South Africa (Bosa), have shoved their foot in the door of national politics by qualifying to appear on the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) ballot paper, they will have their work cut out going up against the established players, say experts.

Political economy analyst Daniel Silke said the small parties could take votes away from the main parties – the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – and their fresh ideas would, at a minimum, force the bigger parties to campaign harder.

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However, he warned that the newcomers would be fighting an uphill battle against parties with established brands and much more funding.

Securing signatures

Rise Mzansi and Bosa yesterday revealed they managed to meet the IEC’s requirements to qualify to contest in the upcoming national elections in all nine provinces.

Rise Mzansi secured more than 112 000 signatures and Bosa over 140 000 signatures.

Silke said it was good that the newcomers were on the ballot paper as it gave South Africans more choice, but smaller parties would struggle to make headway.

“The more established, older political parties really have a major advantage and a head start in terms of their access to finance, both in donations and from the state, and also in the many years they have been on the political playing field.

“It’s difficult for smaller parties to make a breakthrough in such a short period.

“Many of these smaller parties should have begun campaigning years ago, not just a few months before the election.”

Silke said he did not think the smaller parties would make much impact. “If I was a bigger party, I wouldn’t be too worried but I need to campaign a little bit harder because these new kids on the block are going to be there.

“They’re all going to be looking for some representation and an added sort of competitive edge to our politics, which I suppose is relatively good.” Silke added it was a pity that SA politics was fragmented into so many parties.

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“We really have too many political parties and it also means there’s the potential for messy coalitions after the election. “There’s some good in having multiple choices, but the bad side is our opposition movements are fragmented,” he said.

Rise Mzansi national deputy chair Cilna Steyn said: “Our job now is to focus all our efforts on mobilising South Africans to vote for new, capable and caring leaders who will build a safe, prosperous, equal and united South Africa.

“The work of removing the political establishment, whether the ANC or the DA, is not the work of Rise Mzansi alone.”

North-West University political Prof André Duvenhage said he did not regard smaller parties that have just registered as a real threat for established parties such as the ANC, DA and the EFF.

“The risk is with the bigger process. It is a controversial thing.

“We even hear that the uMkhonto weSizwe party said if they can’t register they will make this country ungovernable and the country will go up in flames,” he said.

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“From a logistical, procedural point of departure there are real challenges bigger than in the past for the IEC. “There is a potential for high levels of conflict.”

“What will be interesting to see is if the MK party will be disqualified.

“That is going to be a major factor and from a strategic point of view – looking at the total political spectrum – this is a bigger risk than smaller parties like Rise Mzansi and others qualifying to take part in the elections.”

Rise Mzansi was launched on 19 April last year at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. Songezo Zibi, former associate editor of the Financial Mail, former editor of Business Day as well as the Rivonia Circle think-tank cofounder was named as party leader.