PA advises parties that won’t obtain National Assembly seats to focus on local govt

JOHANNESBURG - The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has advised political parties that won’t receive any seats in these elections to focus on local government.

In 2014, the PA contested its first elections and received no seats.

A decade later, the party has well over 320,000 votes nationally and is guaranteed legislative seats in at least four provinces.

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The minimum threshold to qualify for one seat in the National Assembly has been projected to be between 39,000 and 40,000 votes.

With 99% of the voting districts counted, there are 39 parties that fall under this total in the national ballot, including the five independent candidates.

PA’s head of strategy, Charles Cilliers, urged parties who have a genuine desire to improve South Africa not to give up.

“But the idea that posters are going to do the work for you, that you’re going to be able to buy your way with money into politics, that works to a very limited degree. 

“Unfortunately, it’s about warm bodies, having people out there in communities doing work and being visible all the time.”

Cilliers said the PA’s electoral performance allows it to negotiate from a strong position when it eventually comes to coalition talks.