Tiny party punches above weight

A SMALL party which was formed over a municipal demarcation dispute in a town few South Africans would have heard of, or even visited, has been a surprise winner in the local government elections with almost 200 000 votes.

The African Independent Congress (AIC) yesterday had 184 727 votes nationally as well as 22 seats, improving its showing by more than 500 percent over the previous election in 2011, when it had just 30 372 votes.

Members of the ANC have repeatedly claimed voters have been confused over whether they were voting for the ANC or the AIC, both of which have black, green and gold party colours.

The AIC was formed in 2005 by former ANC members with the aim of contesting the 2006 local government elections in a bid to have the town of Matatiele reincorporated into KwaZulu-Natal from the Eastern Cape.

While the party failed to have Matatiele reincorporated, it has had staying power. Apart from its success in municipal elections it has managed to see three members elected to Parliament as well as a member elected to the Eastern Cape legislature.

While the party grew its footprint nationally, in the town of Matatiele where it started, the party lost three seats and almost 6 000 votes, leaving it with only three councillors in the Matatiele local municipality.

Party leader Mandla Galo dismissed accusations the party had benefited from confusion over colours and names.

“I want to say that this is psychological warfare. They are undermining the intelligence of the people of South Africa,” he said. – ANA