DA 'in jitters' over de Lille
2004-04-14 16:10
Cape Town - The only political leader from a small opposition party participating in the elections mentioned on Wednesday by former President FW de Klerk was Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille.
Speaking to journalists in Paarl on Wednesday, after voting earlier at Sonop school for the party he once led - the New National Party - De Klerk was asked about surprises in the poll.
He said: "I don't expect real surprises but there're some uncertainties."
In Afrikaans he said that he expected some new small parties to fall "off the wagon" in the election, but he said that if one listened to the reaction of the Democratic Alliance to De Lille one was left with the impression that she had obviously "frightened" them.
Meanwhile ID chief of staff Brent Meersman said De Klerk's words "confirm what we believe will be the case by the end of the day".
"It is going well. Our supporters are turning up and are going to the polls. As a small party that had one seat (in parliament) before (De Lille) and perhaps the smallest election budget of all the parties contesting at the same level as ourselves, we expect to do considerably well."
De Klerk earlier said that he expected the party which he used to lead - until 1997 - to pull off a surprise in the Western Cape.
He, however, did not mention the name of the premier candidate in the province and his successor, Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
De Klerk expressed the hope that a future ANC led national government would include Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi in the spirit of co-operative politics.