The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) has welcomed the announcement of 4 November as the official date for South Africa’s local government elections, with the party’s campaign manager saying the gloves are now off and campaigning will begin in earnest.
Armand Cloete, the party’s campaign manager, expressed delight at finally having a confirmed date, noting that the party had internally planned for a 4 November election and had already been preparing for a November poll.
“We’re quite happy. We are quite delighted about the fact that we’re going to have elections. Finally, we have a date now,” Cloete said. “Now the gloves are off. We will start campaigning for the election.”
Describing 4 November as “a dawn of new hope,” Cloete said the party’s approach would differ from its 2021 “stop the decay” message. He acknowledged growing voter apathy, particularly evident in recent by-elections, and said the Freedom Front Plus wants to bring a different approach to restore enthusiasm.
The party’s campaign will focus on restoring accountability in municipalities and prioritising actual service delivery. Cloete emphasised that the Freedom Front Plus intends to be part of local unity governments and will push for real change.
On the issue of young voter apathy, Cloete said young people are “tired of empty promises” after years of unfulfilled commitments.
“The days of making empty promises is over for any political party,” he said. “They actually want to see changes, but those changes must be immediate.”
He said the party would focus on revealing immediate policy changes rather than paying lip service, adding that regardless of age, all citizens feel the burden of local government collapse.
“We drive on roads with potholes. We sit in municipalities where there aren’t any water for many days. We need to get real change,” Cloete said.
Asked about the scale of the party’s campaign and its financial resources, Cloete confirmed that the Freedom Front Plus plans to compete in all major cities and towns across the country. While declining to disclose the depth of the party’s war chest, citing strategy, he acknowledged that “any political party will tell you there will never be enough money,” adding that the party would be “savvy” with its spending.