EFF secretary general Marshall Dlamini was among the leaders of political parties who took to the polling stations in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday afternoon.
Dlamini, who has been endorsed by EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema to be KZN premier candidate, cast his vote at the Trinity Methodist Church in uMhlanga, Durban.
Buoyed by being one of the parties that have been recording steady growth at the polls over the years, Dlamini believes the red berets will surprise many in KZN.
“Whenever we go, people are receiving our message and they want an EFF government in KwaZulu-Natal. We have a clear manifesto that resonates with the electorate. It’s not a lot of promises, but it is about commitments,” he explained.
Party worked hard to ensure nobody wins majority
He pointed out that the party had worked very hard, especially in KZN, to ensure that nobody wins an outright majority. This will increase the chances for the party to be part of the government.
“If the EFF does not emerge victorious, I can assure you that no one will win this province. Based on the work that our fighters have put in on the ground, we will be part of the government in KZN,” he said.
Meanwhile, ActionSA has on Tuesday warned against parties who question the credibility of the IEC. This has the potential to incite election violence in a volatile province such as KwaZulu-Natal, it said.
“In this province, we come from a painful history of July unrest, where many people lost their lives. We must not entertain individuals who seek to challenge the credibility of the IEC; it’s dangerous. All attempts to instigate violence should be stopped,” said Zwakele Mncwango, ActionSA KZN. He is also the party’s provincial premier candidate.
ActionSA concerned about intimidation of IEC in volatile KZN
Mncwango also cautioned against parties that wanted to bring back the governing ANC to power.
“Even if the ANC were to knock on its doors for a potential coalition partner, the ActionSA would thwart such a move. We are part of the multiparty charter. And if we fail to put together the government, at no point will we support the ANC. We are, however, worried that the DA is now contemplating working with the ANC,” Mncwango explained.
It is for the first time that the ActionSA contests the provincial and national elections. The party was formed back in August 2020. During the 2021 elections, the party contested three municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. These were eThekwini metro, KwaDukuza and Newcastle. In all the councils, the party established by former DA City of Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba managed to get council seats.
