Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
10 May 2024 | 11:30 CAT
2 min read

With just under a month remaining before South Africans cast their votes in the national and provincial elections, political parties are intensifying their efforts to secure support for the upcoming polls on May 29. But what is the current status of their campaigns, and how are they performing in their bid to win over voters?

Political analyst Nhongo Solo shares insight into how political parties have been positioning themselves in an interview with Radio Islam.

She perceives this election as particularly challenging for all political parties due to the emergence of new parties and the implementation of a new electoral bill. The dynamics make it difficult for new parties to establish themselves on par with the established ones.
“There are a lot of dynamics involved, including the capital each party has to contest. There is an equal opportunity for all parties to do well because people are tired of the current governing party,” she said.

With the surge in voter registration, Solo expressed hope that a higher turnout would be witnessed at the polls.

Solo suggests to maximise their campaign efforts; organisations must undertake a final push by visiting every household, although she notes this task is made challenging by budget constraints.

She emphasized that the ongoing back-and-forth court litigations are causing significant doubt among voters.
“The more you see the IEC being taken or going to court, it’s creating a lot of scepticism amongst voters, and we saw this in 2021. We currently have about 3 political parties and other independent candidates going to court and saying they want elections to be postponed and want another opportunity for subsmissions. Which is creating skepticism amongst their constituency,” she said.

Solo emphasized that there’s a lot happening, leading to considerable confusion.

LISTEN to the full interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Political analyst Nhongo Solo, here.