Tough task to choose a party to vote for

JUST glancing over the political parties that will populate the ballot sheet in the forthcoming general election, it’s easier to decide who to vote against than who to vote for!

There seems to be little chance of recovery from the “nine lost years” for the ANC. The Bosasa issue, among other allegations being brought to the fore at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry on State Capture, is damning, which the ruling party can ill afford on the eve of our 6th general election.

Furthermore, no foreseeable action is likely to be taken leading up to the election.

The rifts which exist within the ANC are dividing the scandalously corrupt from a faction that is more principled and while this is alive, it’s killing the party. Can President Cyril Ramaphosa turn the ship around?

The ANC will undoubtedly win but most likely with narrower margins than previous elections.

Currently, only the DA is in a worse position than the ANC. The DA is so lost and hopelessly confused that I predict a nasty surprise for the blue wave brigade in May.

They seem to be stumbling from one crisis to the next. It started with coalition clashes, then the bloody nose it got from Patricia de Lille – not once but on three occasions!

The latest case of foot in mouth for the party was the billboard blunder that received a severe backlash both on social media and from the public, as it was deemed insensitive and in poor taste.

There is now talk of plans to oust party leader Mmusi Maimane. Could it be that the Jacob Zuma regime was the biggest contributing factor to the DA’s success?

While the Economic Freedom Fighters may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it seems that its young black support base doesn’t care much for tea, or rules, for that matter.

Julius Malema certainly has charisma that appeals to his supporters but unfortunately, that’s where it ends. The EFF has alienated everyone else outside its mainstay of support through divisive rhetoric and inexcusable racist rants via its Commander-In-Chief. If the EFF is to be a serious contender for the highest office in the land, it needs to increase its appeal to a broader audience.

It would have been a good time for IFP President Mangosuthu Buthelezi to hand over the reins but internal affairs seem to have halted the nonagenarian’s desire to step down.

The party certainly has people who are adept in steering the IFP and increasing its footprint.

Patricia de Lille’s GOOD party will also be one of the 258 parties in the contest and its performance, especially among the Western Cape electorate, will be an interesting development.

Cope seems to be taking a position previously occupied by the DA as its appeal among white South Africans is growing. Cope’s ties with AfriForum is a yay for some and a nay for others. I certainly will be familiarising myself with the other election contenders and we’ll probably learn more of the other parties over the coming months leading up to the May poll date.

My appeal to all political parties is, rather than telling us what we already know and making promises, deal with the issues through action. Political promises are just an oxymoron in my opinion. RIKESH ISHWARLAL Pietermaritzburg