Coalition plan for opposing ANC put on hold, says Holomisa

A PLANNED coalition of opposition parties to challenge the ANC has been put on hold.

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, one of the key players in the talks between eight opposition parties earlier this year, said there would be “no merger” before elections next year as it was now too late, and would confuse voters.

However, talks continued about possible post- election coalitions in some provinces.

Parties were discussing who would be their preferred coalition partners.

They had also agreed to cover each other at election stations where some might not have party representatives on duty. They would also monitor election coverage by the state broadcaster, and would act in concert if they felt they were being treated unfairly.

The parties would also deal as a group with any queries to the Independent Electoral Commission, they said.

Speaking about the possible emergence of a leftist formation should union federation Cosatu split, Holomisa said he would welcome any development that would reduce the ANC’s majority.

“This is when you will begin to see real service delivery. As long as the ANC dominates, they become arrogant, and arrogance and power breed corruption,” he said.

He would be happy to see the ANC struggling to form a government, and “knocking at various doors, to say, ‘we are short of one vote to form a majority’.”

“Then you would know the complacency is over,” said Holomisa.

craig.dodds@inl.co.za