South Africans of voting age who have never cast a vote have become primary targets as political parties prepare to battle it out in the 2024 national and provincial elections. 20 million or so stayed away in previous elections with more than half of them not even bothering to register.
Opposition parties believe the participation of these people, may tip the scales against the ANC which has been in power since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
The EFF is hoping to benefit from this number. The party went on a drive and succeeded in recruiting a million signed up members to bolster its electoral fortunes.
Party leader Julius Malema said at the time that the current voter’s roll was dominated by ANC supporters and that the participation of younger people had to be secured if the ANC is ever going to be removed from power.
“If you are not registered to vote and you don’t have water, you’ve got yourself to blame. We are going to remove them in 2024 you must know that your suffering is forever. When we say 2024 is our 1994 we mean that you’re going to experience freedom for the first time,” said Malema addressing a large crowd outside the East London Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape.
Malema aimed particularly at the youth equating their non participation in elections to betrayal. “If you’re a youth, you’re a young person and you’re not registered to vote you’re a sellout you sold our future, you’re part of the problem because the youth must be the solution”, he said to several thousand cheering supporters.
Meanwhile in Parliament, Cape Town leaders of of organisations who have come together to form the so called Multi-party Charter were at pains to gain the sympathy of the same constituency arguing they’ve demonstrated goodwill by organising themselves in preparation for a possible coalition in the event the ANC fails to secure an outright victory.
“They said that we couldn’t move past our individual egos aside to join a process like this. They said that we couldn’t possibly find commonalities because of the differences between our parties. They said that scars of battles of the past would never ever be able to be overcome yet here we all are today on these steps, united in our diversity determined to work together for the people of South Africa.
“So we’ve held up our side of the bargain and now it’s time for South Africa to hold up her side of the bargain and that means every single one of you at home. Every single potential voter, every single person who is not registered needs to look at what is happening here and understand that you need to now be part of this journey and process to rescue South Africa,” said DA Leader John Steehuisen standing alongside 7 other party leaders on the steps of parliament on Thursday.