A small party makes huge strides in local government elections in Cape Town

Cape Town - A small political party from the Cape Flats has done well in the local government elections despite having budget constraints.

The Cape Coloured Congress (CCC), a 14-month old political party, went to the elections with a very small budget.

CCC leader Fadiel Adams said he is happy with how they did in the elections.

“Considering the budget we went to the elections with which is R70 000 spread across 52 wards, we were ecstatic,” he said.

He said no one funded their campaign, every cent came from their members’ pockets.

Adams said they managed to get seven seats in the recent elections.

“We were looking for a voice, but now we have seven voices,” he said.

He said they are looking to grow the party for the next elections by starting up branches throughout the Western Cape.

“The time of splitting coloured votes is over. We must focus in one direction,” added Adams.

University of Stellenbosch political analyst Amanda Gouws said what happened to CCC showed that people have shifted their votes according to ethnic lines.

“Coloured voters voted for the party instead of the other big parties because maybe they feel the party understands them better,” said Gouws.

She said the party’s funding for their campaign might have come from anywhere because she does not know where some parties get it from.

“Funding can help a party get established but it won’t buy them votes, they get votes from the areas they campaigned in because of what they promise the people,” she said.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said the support for parties that target specific groups has grown.

He said the decline of the DA in the Western Cape showed the challenges they are faced with.

Mathekga said coloured communities do not see the DA as being multiracial.

Mathekga said most smaller parties are self-funded.

“The parties are still inexperienced and new to elections and some call themselves social parties, so no one wants to give them funding and it also happens to experienced parties,” he said.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa said the elections have now been concluded and they welcome all political parties.

Weekend Argus