the most rude politician
South African politicians are generally not known for the graceful way they interact with each other. Like previous election seasons, this election season has seen political conflicts erupt into actual violence, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. But when it comes to verbal rather than physical daggers, this year's queen of the pack has to be Goodreader Patricia de Lille. De Lille against her DA rival Jordan Hill-Lewis, who made a highly politically expedient proposal for the Ministry to release Acacia Park Council Village for affordable housing. shouted this. He is a total idiot! ” No doubt many politicians feel this way about their competition, but few are as vocal about it.
Good party leader Patricia de Lille is campaigning in St Helena Bay, Vredenberg, Western Cape. (Photo: Shabiso Mkabela)
the most generous election gift
Allegations of vote buying are common before elections in South Africa, but it is unusual for this practice to take place in front of journalists. Ahead of the 2019 vote, suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule came under fire for allegedly handing a woman in Philippi two crisp R200 notes after seeing her fridge empty. This year, the ANC took it a step further. 75-year-old Lisebo Molefe was presented with a R10,000 Checkers shopping voucher after President Cyril Ramaphosa paid a surprise visit to Pthadichaba in the Free State. In unrelated news, Mr Moolfe subsequently said he intended to vote for the ANC.
Worst campaign jokes
ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa has many good qualities, but sharp humor is not among them. In his campaign this year, he is reusing a “funny” anecdote he first shared before the 2019 election. Daily Maverick contributor Carien du Plessis accurately describes them as “dad jokes.” One of Ramaphosa's favorites, which is too long to transcribe here, involves the women of the Eastern Cape. Because she is proud of her government-supported home, she requests that Ramaphosa enter her bedroom, making the Preses very uncomfortable. Did this actually happen? perhaps. CR seems intent on telling this and similar hilarious stories until ANC drops below 50%.
Cyril Ramaphosa addresses residents at Alex Stadium in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as part of his election campaign. (Photo: Shiraz Mohammed)
most controversial poster
The DA's office just can't catch a break. As soon as the fallout from one incredibly stupid poster campaign subsided, another one broke out and the Blue Party was forever playing the game of poster wackamale. First, there was an uproar over a Phoenix poster calling vigilante residents “heroes.” Later, complaints were raised from within the party that the posters, which read “DA or ANC, it's your choice”, were effectively free advertising for the ruling party. Finally, photos of sacked MP Mmusi Maimane appearing on posters around Cape Town began to circulate on social media. It was revealed that the Cape Islamic Congress had bought 10,000 old DA posters and pasted stickers on them to save money. However, when the posters came off in the rain, the bugs started appearing in the DA again. Perhaps there's a metaphor there.
Democratic Alliance election posters on the Phoenix Highway in Durban. (Photo: Mandla Ranga)
The most unusual campaign promise
The Economic Freedom Fighters, best known as an up-and-coming electorate around the world, lost that post this year to Gayton McKenzie's Patriotic Alliance. The PA, whose slogan is Ons baiza nie (We are not kidding), proved the opposite when it announced in October that it intended to legalize “spinning” if elected to power. In the words of Wikipedia, “South African motorsport” It involves driving a car in circles at high speed and performing stunts in and out of the car. ” The suggestion is even more bizarre considering that PA co-founder Kenny Kunene was involved in a spin-off in December 2020 when he stepped too far out the window and fell from a moving vehicle. You can't make something like this up.
Kenny Kunene (Photo: Greg Marinovich)
Biggest failure of the campaign
We all make mistakes. That's why pencils come with erasers. But few mistakes are as grave as the one when Herman Mashaba's ActionSA failed to register an abbreviation of the party's name with the South African Electoral Commission during an election period. As a result, ActionSA's name will no longer appear on any ballot paper. Only the logo will be printed. To make matters worse, the party's logo is a very unmemorable white and green confection that Mashaba himself would probably have a hard time pulling from his memory. On the plus side, at least ActionSA has a ready-made excuse for its poor performance in the first poll.
Supporters of ActionSA attended the manifesto presentation held in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 22, 2021. (Photo: Gallo Images / Alet Pretorius)
The most confusing political partnership
On the last day of the election campaign, posters suddenly appeared all over Cape Town, featuring a thumbs up icon with the words “CapeXit” and “Vote FF Plus”. What exactly does that mean? Freedom Front Plus then issued a statement announcing that it had “officially joined forces” with the Western Cape secession movement, providing some clarification. Things are now crystal clear, as CapeXit is the flagship project of a completely separate political group called the Cape Independence Party, which is also due to be voted on on November 1st. Either way, the big question remains. How do you pronounce “CapeXit”? It doesn't work like “Brexit”. in any case.
The dumbest campaign mistakes
Imagine if a political party's campaign manager tweets instructions to vote for the opposing party. It was a humbling experience for the ANC's Fikile Mbalula, who mistakenly used the hashtag #VoteEFF when releasing a video of Ramaphosa on the campaign trail. Mbalula noticed the mistake and hastily deleted it, but not before it was pounced on and shared by EFF's eagle-eyed pranksters. In a sense, this was a karma. A few weeks ago, Mr Mbalula posted a video of EFF supporters at an election rally accidentally shouting “Long live the ANC!” before correcting myself. Social media is the ultimate leveler when it comes to political issues.
Fikile Mbalula of the ANC. (Photo: Sune Payne)
Most disappointing political no-show
In early October, African Movement for Change (ATM) strategist Mzwanele Manyi tweeted with obvious excitement that the “one and only” Kri Roberts would stand for ATM as candidate for Tshwane Ward 65. did. Mr. Roberts is a media personality with an interesting past. She wrote a column in the Sunday World in 2011 that described women of color as having “no front teeth” and “like to fight in public”. On this occasion, Roberts seems to forget that her working journalist (she still serves as the Sunday World's lifestyle editor) should not actually be running for political office. The tabloids immediately suspended Roberts, and ATM later fired her. Oh, I wonder what that was!
The most niche appeal for voters
South Africa's political parties rarely get enough airtime on environmental issues in general, but salute the politicians who are paying special attention to the climate crisis – Bantu Holomisa, leader of the United Democratic Movement. Let me preface this by saying that it is worthy of praise. If so, on October 19, the DA-controlled City of Cape Town took the time to issue a statement complaining that the type of herbicide it uses is causing liver damage in some dogs. Hats off to the Good Party. Some suspect that the complaint was deeply personal, as Goode's Patricia Delisle and Brett Herron also organized a campaign event to walk dogs along Sea Point Promenade.
Good Party member and former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers campaigning in St Helena Bay, Vredenberg, Western Cape. (Photo: Shabiso Mkabela)
The most embarrassing pre-election reveal
In early October, to much fanfare and in front of what they claimed was a “huge crowd of jubilant local residents”, city officials in the ANC-run Komani (formerly Queenstown) announced the construction of a R15-million “sports stadium”. A ribbon cutting was held. It turned out to be a speckled field that could seat about 20 people. Amidst voices of disbelief, anger and joy from the public, local ANC ward councilor Unati Mulindazwe happily announced: “This facility will keep children away from drugs.'' The problem is that the only thing a “stadium” is considered good for is providing a convenient gathering place to take drugs.
the most savvy political operative
It may seem strange to bestow this honor on King Buelekaya Dalindyebo of Abasembu, a permanently imprisoned monarch who was imprisoned in the 1990s for a series of crimes against his subjects, including kidnapping and assault. Despite receiving a special commutation from Ramaphosa that allowed him to get out of prison (very) early, Dalindyebo decided to return the favor by publicly committing himself to the EFF in exchange for the promise of a cow and R1. Selected. 500,000 Mercedes SUV developed by EFF leader Julius Malema. You may recall that Dalindyebo, who called the ANC “the devil's farts”, previously publicly threw his fortune at the DA's office, but all they gave him was a T-shirt So now he's on a much better wicket. DM168
This article first appeared in the weekly magazine Daily Maverick 168. This newspaper is available for purchase at Pick n Pay, Exclusive Books and Airport Bookstores for R25.Click here to find your nearest retailer here.
