South African Opposition Puts ANC Majority In Its Sights

Benoni, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th May, 2024) South Africa's opposition parties mount an 11th-hour assault Sunday on the ruling ANC's 30-year-old grip on power, staging set-piece rallies three days before the general election.

From the right, the Democratic Alliance (DA), was gathering in the town of Benoni outside Johannesburg to cheer on its leader John Steenhuisen under a pair of national flags ahead of Wednesday's vote.

The party picked a smaller 20,000-seat stadium than the African National Congress (ANC) had chosen for a huge Johannesburg rally the day before, but its enthusiastic blue-clad supporters amply filled it, kept on their feet by DJs and bands playing electric amapiano and country songs.

"I want change.

It's too bad right now: no jobs, no nothing," said 66-year-old job-seeker Isaac Tembo, who has voted for the ANC every five years since the advent of democracy in 1994.

Opinion polling suggests the DA will not overtake the ANC to become South Africa's biggest single party, but it hopes to unite with a coalition of smaller outfits to take power.

From the left, former president Jacob Zuma, not legally a candidate because of a conviction for contempt of court, is marshalling his uMkonto weSizwe (MK) for a final push.

Zuma, who served as the ANC's fourth president between 2009 and 2018 but left office dogged by graft allegations, can not stand for election but may still take votes from his former party.