The leader of the Freedom Front Plus, Dr Pieter Groenewald says every vote will count in the coming elections. He says the party is pleading for job appointments to be made on merit only, and not according to party politics or race.
He was addressing voters in Port Elizabeth.
The FF Plus and other smaller parties believe they can play a vital role to prevent the ANC from being the ruling party.
Groenewald says there is not a single smaller party that can do this, but through coalitions the difference can be made.
He used the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro as an example where the opposition could have made a difference, if only more people voted for the FF Plus and they had a councillor in the metro.
“Therefore, you must realize that your vote does count. The story that you must not waste your vote on smaller parties is not true. That is election propaganda. Each and every vote counts and we also say we could have ensured. If we were part of a coalition, we could have ensured that those interests of the people we represent, that their interests are also important in the council and the coming election.”
Groenewald added that the FF Plus is the only party standing up for minority groups.
“When you look, for instance, at BEE and Affirmative Action, they play the race card; they play it against the white people of SA and they also discriminate against the brown people of SA. Therefore, we say you must have a voice in Parliament, who can stand up to say ‘we don’t ask for special treatment; we don’t ask preferential treatment; we only ask equal rights and equal treatment.’ SA and the economy is in a critical state. We have to build the economy to ensure that people can have jobs. Therefore, do away with BEE and Affirmative Action. We must get the best people with the best qualifications to do the job. That’s why the FF Plus says do away with race, and let merit be the only criteria to appoint the best people to build SA for the future.”
