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Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 3:01 PM by Newser
Yesterday (Saturday 1 November), marked yet another historic day in the politics of South Africa. As many had anticipated, a new political party will be born in South Africa in the Free State on December 16. Mbhazima Shilowa, former Gauteng premier, said the new party “which has yet to be named” will not only “take on” the dominant ANC, but “is going to win the next election”. The new party, to be formed as a break away from the ruling ANC will have a name and logo different from the ANC as the leaders want to build a brand new identity.
More than 6000 delegates attend the South African national convention held in Sandton on Saturday to show their support for this new political party. At the forefront of this party are: former ANC chairman Terror Lekota, former deputy defence minister Mluleki George and former Gauteng premier, Mbhazima Shilowa.
The name of the new party has already raised a lot of debate. On the eve of the convention, the ANC launched a bid in the Pretoria High Court for an interdict against the use of what seemed the most likely name, the SA National Congress, as well as the SA National Convention. The ANC said it was protecting its “trademark, name and identity”. At the convention Shilowa jokingly said the new party will be called “Shikoleki”, a cobble of his name, Lakota’s and Mluleki’s.
What is this new party going to stand for and is it going to be successful? Those are the questions a lot of people are going to be asking. What was interesting to note at the convention was that opposition political parties were also present at the convention and showing their support for this new party. The Democratic Alliance, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the Independent Democrats, the African Christian Democratic Party and the United Democratic Movement were all present. Is this a sign that we could be headed for a new coalition government at national, provincial and local levels after the 2009 elections?
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bkonnek on 2 November, 2008 at 3:54 pm #
Indeed an old cake with new icing - when will Lekota give us more light on the arms deal? Shilowa should also give answers on millions unanswered for in the Gauteng Province tender processes whist he was in the chair.Easy to run away from the ANC to carry on with nepotism and corruption with a new name
Global Voices Online » South Africa: New Political Party is Born on 3 November, 2008 at 4:57 pm #
[…] new political party is born in South Africa: “Yesterday (Saturday 1 November), marked yet another historic day in the politics of South […]
cliff on 8 November, 2008 at 8:08 pm #
I think its a better time not to root ourselves within soil dat cant feed us as future generation of dis country.Its time to dignify our acts or show political maturity thru unity as a country dat came from aversities.We need 2 avoid power-hungry guys who uses words as disguise of their true being.We need unselfish people who dnt support themselves bt people of the country.New party can show us somethung new.Our old party tried and 4 dat matter we need something new or what we call youngblood.Post Apartheid or whatsoeva will only take us back to war coz we lost alot of gud soldiers innis game n we dnt want dat 2 happen.Moreover even brothers are not safe with one another so even ANC or dis new party our country shud chuz 4 itself.Bt ANC i dnt think it has something 4 us anymore besides dat da struggle we came from.It is da party dat took us out and it can tak us in again coz of if its selfish acts.New party shud take over.Am young and i wanna c a better for ma kidz
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