South Africa’s fragmented opposition jostles for visibility

On a stretch of grass doubling as a parking lot in an impoverished Johannesburg township, a group of party activists chanted “we need new leaders!” timidly followed by a couple of dozen onlookers. “Rise Songezo, Rise!” they continued before introducing Songezo Zibi, the head of Rise Mzansi — a small party among a cohort of new groups competing in an increasingly fragmented opposition camp ahead of South Africa’s general elections on May 29.

Unusually for a political leader, the former journalist then made his pitch promising nothing at all.

“I’m not going to lie and say to you... we are going to solve all your problems. It’s not going to happen,” Zibi told would-be-voters during a canvassing exercise in Eden Park, south of Johannesburg, on Friday.

The low-key strategy is a result of broad disillusionment with politics after three decades of African National Congress (Anc)-rule. Thirty years after the former liberation movement won the first democratic elections, South Africa remains the world’s most unequal nation, suffering from high unemployment, rampant crime, widespread corruption and a stagnant economy.

“People don’t want to vote. They’ve given up on politics,” Zibi, wearing a white shirt, trainers and jeans, said on Friday. At the last elections in 2019, only 49 per cent of those of voting age showed up on election day.

“This is a big moment where it is possible to get a new leadership in South Africa, not just one leader, but a new cohort of leaders, who are going to refresh government and politics and do things differently,” Zibi said.

“The problem is trust. People are not actually expecting a miracle. They want to know whether you told (them) the truth or not.”

With down-to-earth policies including cracking down on corruption and reducing wasteful expenditures such as officials’ outsize security details, the 48-year-old’s approach has certainly convinced donors.

Founded only last year, Rise Mzansi raised almost 17 million rand ($900,000) between October and December last year — more than any other party, according to electoral authorities. Persuading voters has proven harder.

“I am not really yet convinced,” said Lindiwe Dlamini, 27, unemployed.