Early election worries parties

2007-12-03 20:04

Cape Town - The African National Congress (ANC) should not use an early general election as a way of sorting out its own political squabbles, most opposition parties warned on Monday.

It was reported at the weekend that supporters of Jacob Zuma, anticipating he would take over the party presidency this month, saw an early election as one way of removing Thabo Mbeki from the national presidency.

As things stand, Mbeki's term expires with the next scheduled poll in 2009.

Chair of the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s federal council, James Selfe, told Sapa that if there was an early election, it would not be because voters' interests were at stake, or because Parliament could not discharge its functions, but because there was a problem in the ANC "and the ANC would be seeking to make its problems the country's problems".

Poor reflection on democracy

It would be a poor reflection on South Africa's constitutional democracy if it had to go to an election to resolve the ANC's internal squabbles.

He said the DA - "well resourced and well organised, certainly much better organised than the ANC at this point" - was ready to fight an early poll.

The DA would like to think it could improve on its results in the last general election.

"We would think that winning the Western Cape is a likely proposition, whether alone or in coalition with others. We would certainly put that very high on our list of priorities," he said.

Leader of the Independent Democrats Patricia de Lille said her party could not support the idea of an early poll.

Only 450 days to go

"We can't allow the ANC to come and unsettle our plans for 2009," she said.

"It's not about benefiting or strengthening our democracy: it's about people wanting jobs, (about) patronage.

"We're only 450 days away from the next general election. The ANC can use the 450 days to work hard and bring some unity in their party."

Mbeki had already outlined his plans for the remainder of his ten-year term of office and should be allowed to see them through.

On opposition chances in an election, she said smaller parties would certainly benefit from an "unhappy vote" in the ANC if Mbeki lost to Zuma.

Inkatha Freedom Party deputy chair Velaphi Ndlovu said that though it was difficult to say that an early election was a bad idea, because it was the way democracy worked, calling one at a particular time could be problematic.

"Those people that win (at the ANC conference), they must think carefully before they take that decision," he said.

United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa said an early poll would create a bad precedent.

Sterling job

"It would show that our system is vulnerable if we can have early elections just because of infighting in a ruling party," he said. "That should be rejected at all costs."

Mbeki was doing a "sterling" job as president of the country, and ousting him prematurely could backlash on the ANC.

President of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Kenneth Meshoe said he did not see how the ANC would solve its squabbles unless voters were allowed how to say they wanted the country governed.

"I think it (an early poll) would be the right thing to happen, because it will bring stability in the country. I support that," he said.

He said he believed the ACDP would do "very well" in an election if Zuma won the ANC post, as his moral ground was "very shaky".

- SAPA