Rivals capitalising on ANC split

2008-10-03 22:08

Johannesburg - Opposition parties in the Western Cape are rallying to form a coalition that could see the ANC's power further reduced in the province.

In a statement on Friday, the Freedom Front Plus reiterated calls by the Democratic Alliance for the formation of a coalition.

"The ANC is not succeeding in putting the interests of all communities above the internal battles within the ANC structures," provincial party leader Corne Mulder said in a statement.

"It is therefore necessary that opposition parties make use of the opportunity in the forthcoming elections to... lever the ANC in the Western Cape out of their seats."

He likened this coalition to a model implemented in the Cape Metro Council following the 2006 local government elections.

"This model had been successfully implemented in the Cape Metro Council... It can also be used on a provincial level to oppose the ANC," Mulder said.

On Thursday, the DA said it had already initiated talks with the Independent Democrats to form a coalition provincial government. It said it was opportune for opposition parties to take advantage of current divisions within the ANC that had alienated voters from the party.

"The DA's vision is that South Africans who share a commitment to the Constitution, non-racialism, a market-based economic policy, efficient service delivery and corrupt-free government should ultimately come together to provide South Africa with an alternative to the ANC," DA chief executive Ryan Coetzee said.

The likelihood that the ID would support the DA's call became apparent when party deputy leader Simon Grindrod ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition government with the Western Cape ANC after next year's elections.

"The people of the Western Cape are tired of those who put their personal power and greed above delivery to communities. The ID today serves notice on Mcebisi Skwatsha and his faction that we will work hard to prevent an ANC provincial government next year," he said on Thursday.

In an interview published by the Mail and Guardian on Friday, President Kgalema Motlanthe acknowledged that the ANC was vulnerable in the Western Cape.

"In the Western Cape we've been the biggest minority. Besides, a plethora of parties is going to campaign for the support of the voters we're targeting. The results are likely to be very dispersed. We may again have a hung legislature, demanding a coalition," Motlanthe told the paper.

- SAPA