Johannesburg - The stage is set for yet another "moonshot pact" led by opposition political parties such as the Congress of the People (Cope), Black First Land First (BLF), the African People's Convention (APC), the National Freedom Party (NFP), and many other minority parties in a bid to ensure a good showing at the upcoming elections in 2024.
This was revealed by City of Joburg Speaker Colleen Makhubela, a member of Cope, alongside APC leader Themba Godi during a press briefing held at the Sandton Hotel.
The announcement will be made at the same venue today (Friday), with all the leaders of the like-minded minority parties set to be in attendance.
Makhubela led the team of smaller parties to toast to the 16th anniversary of APC and joined hands ahead of the anniversary celebration set for Ekurhuleni this weekend.
On the formation of a coalition dubbed “the super pact”, she said that unlike the DA-led moonshot pact, which started from the top, this pact is from the ground up.
“The other thing that starts from the top is the moonshot pact. This is only a glimpse of what 2024 can produce,” she said.
Cope provincial chairperson Tom Mofokeng said no legislation will stop the formulation of the pact.
“We are looking forward to holding each other's hands. We want these parties that are called minorities to grow because there is nothing that can start from the top.
“Everything starts from the bottom. I told the speaker that the only thing that starts from the top is a grave. We are going to start from the bottom going up, and we are going to grow together,” Mofokeng said.
She said her office as well as her party were in full support of the APC as one of the parties that have shown signs of growth following its formation over 16 years ago, leading to Cope’s formation three years later in 2008.
“The speaker’s office is in full support of the APC, and we promote democracy as a multi-party system. For a minority party to have reached 16 years is a great milestone. It is evidence of the type of democracy that we have in South Africa and a shining example to the rest of Africa,” she said.
However, speaking to The Star, BLF leader Andile Mngxitama denied involvement in the pact, saying theirs was to formulate a strategy during their own congress.
“BLF will be going into a conference in November for its 2024 campaign; only thereafter shall we decide. We are, however, in talks with the Patriotic Alliance, the African Transformation Movement, the APC and the Land Party,” he said.
The Star