The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Deputy President Floyd Shivambu says it will be difficult for independent candidates to be elected to parliament.
Independent candidates need at least 40 000 votes at the polls to attain a seat in parliament.
Shivambu spoke to the media in Ekurhuleni where the EFF held its central elections task force meeting.
“But we wish them well. Like we wish everyone else well. Let them go and persuade as many voters as possible. But it’s unlikely that we are going to have an independent candidate that will be elected directly into South Africa’s parliament.
Even majority of these smaller political parties are not going to find traction. I am 100% sure that more than 90% of the vote that we are going to cast on the 29th of May 2024, will be shared amongst four or five political parties.”
Meanwhile, Shivambu has called on the IEC to educate voters about this year’s election ballot paper. South Africans go to the polls for general elections on May 29.
2024 Elections | EFF calls for wider voter education drive:
The 2024 elections mark the first time since 1994 that the IEC will introduce three ballot papers to voters. Shivambu says voter education will help minimize the number of spoilt ballots.
“We must go to voter education way similar to what was done prior to the 1994 elections, where we explained to the entirety of society as to just how do you vote over three ballots. It appears that one of the ballots has two pages which must be flipped over.
So, we must be running proper massive voter education. The specimens of the ballot paper must be printed to illustrate to people just how they will vote on the actual day of the elections.”
–Sibahle Motha–
