/ 24 April 2009

Expats give DA the thumbs up

The DA was the biggest beneficiary of the overseas vote that took place two weeks ago. It received 7 581 (77%) of the 9 857 votes.

The DA was the biggest beneficiary of the overseas vote that took place two weeks ago. It received 7 581 (77%) of the 9 857 votes cast on April 15 at South African embassies around the world. The results of this vote were released on Thursday at the IEC results centre in Pretoria.

The Freedom Front Plus — which, with the DA and others, won a high court battle to overturn a law that had barred people working overseas from casting ballots — managed to get only 270 votes. It is the only South African political party that has a branch in London, where most of the expats live.

This is the first time expatriates have been allowed to vote since the country attained democracy in 1994.

The Congress of the People polled the second highest total of overseas votes with 918.

Helen Zille said the votes for the DA were ‘votes for a clean government — These are people who are longing to come home and they want to come home to a country that works. That’s why they voted for us.”

She said every vote is important for the DA so the fact that these overseas votes do not amount to a single seat in Parliament is not a cause for concern.

‘Every vote counts. If we win the Western Cape with only one vote, then you’ll see how important that is.”

Cope presidential candidate Mvume Dandala was surprised at his party’s performance. ‘These are people who don’t even know us and they are willing to put their trust in us. ‘We never even had a chance to meet them. We are very happy, because this is significant for us.”

The ANC managed to secure 673 votes. There was no interest in parties such as the United Independent Front, National Democratic Convention, Keep It Straight and Simple and the Alliance of Free Democrats, none of which got a single vote from expatriates.