Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
11 September 2023 | 20:12 CAT

Image: HeraldLIVE

With just about a year to go before National Elections in South Africa takes place, seven parties have joined forces to topple the incumbent ANC and keep the EFF out of power.

The parties, which include the country’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, and a string of minor parties, agreed on what they called a Multi-Party Charter for South Africa.

The ANC is the party of the late Nelson Mandela, and when the 2024 elections come around, it will have been in government for 30 years since the end of apartheid. The party led the anti-apartheid movement and came to power in South Africa’s first all-race election in 1994 when Mandela was elected president.

But its support has slowly waned over the years amid criticism that it has failed to provide essential services and ease poverty for millions of the country’s Black majority. Widespread corruption in state-owned institutions and local and national governments has further eroded its popularity.

South Africa’s other problems include the highest levels of unemployment in the world, a failing electricity supply that’s led to regular blackouts, a broken public transport system and very high violent crime rates.

“We have had enough, many of us come from so many political affiliates. The pact now unites us and we have to come the end of an ANC period of governance who have had 30 years and did not make it,” said United Independent Movement leader Neil de Beer.

De Beer said he expects only positive outcomes from the pact.

He says, “we must make the public know their leaders will have to bend the knee and sacrifice. I hope we will offer an alternative, instead of just fighting what is in existence.”

“If we do not reach these pinnacle points, then this would have been a failure,” De Beer added.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Moulana Shuayb Lasanya.