Emergence of MK Party has brought hope to many

2024 CAN BE 1994 for first-time voters and the majority of old dogs who are despondent and have given up on casting their votes and making their voice heard.

The establishment of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has re-ignited the feeling of hope and thrilled many despairing South Africans who decided to boycott the 2019 national and the 2021 local elections.

Many older people came out and pledged their support for the MK Party since former ANC president Jacob Zuma’s announcement on December 16, 2023, that he would no longer be voting nor campaigning for the ruling party, but would be campaigning for the MK Party.

This has been seen by your traditional ANC loyalist in the form of pensioners from Limpopo to Vaal who stood firm in their support of Zuma mainly because of his humility and down to earth posture.

The party’s emergence has tilted the political scale in the country, and it threatens the ANC’s majority.

A recent poll done by the Social Research Foundation showed that the MK Party had the potential to gain 30% of the vote in KwaZuluNatal, and with some few votes in other provinces, could see it getting about 5% of the voting share from the ANC.

This can be confirmed by the Brenthurst Foundation poll which was conducted last month. According to the poll, the ANC will garner 39% (-18%) of the vote, the DA will grow its support to 27% (+7%), while the EFF will bleed voters with a 10% (-1%) share. Zuma’s MKP is likely to get 13%.

According to the poll, voters appear to have left the ANC, EFF and IFP for Zuma’s party in significant numbers.

One would be naïve to ignore the MKP’s recent performance in the by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal which reflected impressive support, with the party garnering 28% in uPhongolo and 19% in Abaqulusi.

Many South Africans have lost trust and confidence in the ruling party with its failure to deal with corruption, maladministration and most importantly, the loadshedding crisis that has cost millions their jobs.