Independent candidate Anele Muda said the Electoral Commission (IEC) and parliament had dealt a major blow to independent candidates.
Mda said he did not have enough funds during the election period and had to rely on public support to fund his campaign.
She is one of 11 first-time independent candidates running in this year's general election.
“I had to continue my campaign, I had to donate this and that without the help of ordinary people here and there,” she said, adding that ordinary people helped her by providing various materials such as posters and T-shirts and securing space for signboards.
She argued that her campaign would have performed even better if the IEC had funded her in the same way as other political parties.
Muda, a former ANC Youth League member and Congress of the People (Cope) member of parliament, said he decided to run as an independent because he no longer believed political parties could bring about significant change.
Speaking about running as an independent candidate, Muda said it was a humbling experience and a key moment for South Africans to decide whether to support or reject her leadership.
“I had to Intersect “I tried to collect signatures from people across the country and also used online platforms to campaign as much as I could. If I hadn't collected enough signatures I wouldn't have been successful,” she said.
Mda said regardless of the outcome on May 29, he was proud to have made history.
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