Independent candidates currently rank 5th nationally with 450 000 votes collectively

Independent candidates and movements have thus far raked up around 450 000 votes collectively, countrywide. OneSA Movement leader, Mmusi Maimane, says this places independents fifth nationally.

Maimane says more than 1 500 independent candidates contested this election, alongside 120 independent movements and community forums.

Maimane says the future of South Africa lies in the hands of independents. OneSA Movement is an umbrella organisation established to work alongside them.

“OneSA got involved in the year’s elections by partnering with hundreds of independent candidates and community organisations across the country, as part of an offer, a pilot model to bring power closer to communities in this year’s elections.”

He says the current results of this election are unprecedented.

Some of the more noteworthy results in the Cederberg Local Municipality, the Cederberg Eerste, gained 27.5 % of voter support.

“I’m delighted with the work that took place with Cederberg Eerste that won 27.5 % of the elections in Cederberg Municipality and are now only second to the ANC in that. We look forward to the outcomes of discussion there with the community and potentially we could have the first independent candidate mayor. That would be a positive development indeed in Cederberg.”

In the Northern Cape, the Siyathemba Local Municipality, independents won nearly 6000 votes. In these municipalities, both independents stand second only to the African National Congress.

Maimane says this election, was the litmus test.  OneSA, however, says it is disappointed in the slow pace of Parliament in processing legislation dealing with independents’ inclusion in national and provincial elections.

Last year, the Constitutional Court ruled the Electoral Act to be unconstitutional because it excludes independent candidates from standing for national elections.

Parliament was given 24 months to remedy this.

OneSA has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly giving her seven days to take the process forward.

Failing that, the movement will be serving Parliament with a contempt of court notice.