Increasing numbers of voters are supporting independent candidates.
While voting patterns and the attitudes of the electorate have not changed much since the last general election, if results of by-elections since are anything to go by, support is growing for independent candidates in some areas, showing disenchantment with traditional party politics.
Black political parties still command strong support in traditionally black areas, both rural and urban, while traditionally white parties dominate in former white areas. The Inkatha Freedom Party still dominates KwaZulu-Natal.
Depending on local dynamics and the ethnic make-up of an area, the competition across the country is largely between the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress.
Statistics from election departments of both the ANC and the DA indicate that both parties, although making inroads into each other’s traditional strongholds, still hold sway in their traditional support areas. For instance, in the June 2001 to May 2002 by-elections, the DA scored high in traditionally white areas such as Kleinmond (67,2%), Midrand (50,9% ), Bothaville (58,3%), Hermanus (54,7%) and Richards Bay (71,1%).
The ANC did well in Bela Bela, where they won 90,8% of the vote, Thembisile (80,4%), Orange Farm (88,1%), Alexandra (81,1%) and Botshabelo (78,7%).
At the same time support for independent candidates seems to be growing. More and more voters seem to be shunning party politics, showing confidence in independent candidates who are seen to be accessible, trustworthy and more committed than party candidates. For instance in Isipingo, a predominantly Indian residential area, an independent candidate thrashed both the ANC and the DA by 73,5%.
This poses a serious threat to the ANC as most of these independent candidates performed fairly well against their erstwhile party. The recent victory by Moswang Jafta Lekgetho, who brought the dominance of the ANC to an end in last Wednesday’s municipal by-election in Dobsonville, ward 47, is a classic example.
Lekgetho succeeded in a highly contested poll that saw eight parties vying for votes. He garnered 46,6% of votes to the 40,2% of the ANC, while the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) secured third place with 5,7%. Other parties included the African Christian Democratic Party, the Pan Africanist Congress, the Workers’ Party, DA and IFP.
The announcement of the results came as a complete shock to the local ANC bigwigs. As early as 9pm, the time of vote counting, they were ready to pop the cork. A phalanx of flashy cars had formed ready to hoot in celebration. To their chagrin, Lekgetho — who had come second in the 2000 municipal elections — was announced the winner.
Lekgetho ascribes his victory to his consistency in raising the plight and concerns of the poor. He says he has always fought for the interests of the community.
He singles out two cases that could have added to his popularity. The first relates to two high court victories his civic organisation scored against Eskom over electricity cut-offs. ”We managed to extract a concession from Eskom to handle cases of the aged, disabled and the unemployed with sympathy and compassion”, Lekgetho says.
He also sees the recent announcement by Minister of Public Enterprise Jeff Radebe that the aged will get a 100% reduction of their electricity debts, while the disabled and the unemployed will get 50% off, as a result of his sustained engagement with the ministry.
Peter Mokaba, who heads the ANC elections department, although buoyed by his party’s win of six out of nine of the by-elections held across Gauteng, is disappointed with the low voter turnout, which he blames on several factors, including scheduling elections during weekdays when a majority of people are at work.
He says the other problem is that there is a weak organisational response by parties to mobilise their supporters to vote. Perhaps more importantly, he says, people on the ground link democracy with delivery.