Nope is not a political party or a cult. It’s not an organisation and it has no founder. It’s a collection of people — anarchists, autonomists and anti-authoritarians — who advocate a different way of doing politics: by not voting.
With the catchy slogan “our dreams don’t fit on your ballots”, Nope supporters refuse to give up power to politicians, who, they say, have delivered nothing but empty promises. “Nopester” Sian Byrne explains that the group, which has a strong online presence, is disillusioned with party politics and does not believe that a cross on a ballot constitutes democracy.
“We are trying to open up space for alternatives and to criticise the view that all we can do politically is vote for someone else to do everything for us, which hardly happens anyway,” says Byrne.
Nope says it has struggle stalwarts on its side and rejects the Independent Electoral Commission’s slogan that those who don’t vote can’t complain.
“That IEC slogan is rubbish. This kind of criticism comes from those that don’t see any alternative to the current political system. Why is it betrayal not to vote for those that have betrayed the people?” says Byrne.
To find out more visit: www.nope.org.za