Hlaudi Motsoeneng. File photo
The leader of the African Content Movement (ACM) Hlaudi Motsoeneng has said his party and that of former ANC strongman Ace Magashule, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), are not too far from working together, but this would only be after the elections.
There has been speculation about talks between Motsoeneng and Magashule aimed at forming a coalition before the elections, but Motsoeneng dismissed this, saying he would only consider a coalition with Magashule after the polls.
After he was expelled from the ANC last year for writing a letter suspending Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the party, Magashule formed his own political party, mostly focusing on the “radical economic transformation” policies of a faction in the ANC.
With Free State being his hometown, and many of his supporters not happy with his expulsion, Magashule’s party seemed to be gaining momentum in that province.
Motsoeneng said it was not true he was working with Magashule on forming a coalition before the elections, but admitted they had had discussed working together with other parties.
“Me and Ace have a relationship; we are good buddies and I can’t run away from that. We are not far apart in the discussions with Ace. The people who are going to shake the Free State are myself and Ace. We must be honest that Ace has a lot of footprint in the Free State but what is good about my party is that I don’t go to people, people come to me,” the disgraced former SABC boss said.
“I have spoken to Ace, Msholozi [Jacob Zuma], ANC, and other political parties but that I have an agreement with Ace is nonsensical. I am focusing on my party. With Msholozi, it was more underground discussions when he approached me. It was before he announced the [formation of the uMkhonto weSizwe] Party. There is nothing wrong in politics with engaging with other parties.”
Motsoeneng said he was happy to go into coalition after the elections with anyone, but he did have a preference.
“I’ve engaged with General [Bantu] Holomisa. If you’d asked me among these politicians, for me I think it’s Holomisa, he has a good track record. I think the people of South Africa do not give him what he deserves.”
He said he wanted those in his home province to vote for him, so that he could lead without a coalition.
Motsoeneng’s party has two seats in Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality.
The Free State has been struggling with poor service delivery, dating back to Magushule’s tenure as premier.
“Free State is priority number one, my party must lead that province. I want to save the people of the Free State because there are no leaders there. I know QwaQwa — where I come from — alone can put me in parliament because the numbers I have got are more in Maluti-A-Phofung. But I also command more numbers in other areas of the Free State,” said Motsoeneng.
The ACM has been around since 2018, and Motsoeneng believes that this, combined with his better understanding of politics, means it is likely that he will win the majority in the Free State.
“When I entered that space of politics, I didn’t know how to operate but now I have learned and mastered the art of politics. After the elections, we will say which party we work with.”
Motsoeneng also did not shy away from announcing his ambitions of being the province’s next premier.
“Among all those people who are there, I am the only one tested when it comes to radical transformation. I am the biggest party growing in the Free State, and if the ANC does not see, I can even take over.
“For now I am going to run alone and fight alone and after the elections, those parties elected by the people of South Africa will decide to come together if there is no party that has won with a majority.”