This as internal polls carried out by the DA suggested previously that nationally the party will lose some of its support base in these highly contested general elections to the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus).

The current FF Plus member of the North West Legislature, Hannes Schutte, is in full agreement with this assertion, adding they have engaged with former DA supporters in the province who feel their party best represents their interests. The slogan that has become the hallmark of the FF Plus’ campaign is “Slaan Terug”, which they feel has struck a chord with people.

Nearly two months ago the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) chief whip, John Steenhuisen, slammed the party at a DA rally in Potchefstroom, labelling the FF Plus “a party of the past”. Steenhuisen went on to mock the party’s campaign implying its support base is old and backward “you see an old man who is very grey, and who says ‘Slaan terug’. Who does this old man want to hit, and where does he want to take South Africa back to?” Steenhuisen asked.

Schutte, on the other hand, stresses that this is not the case, revealing the party’s support base has become more racially diverse, citing 2016 municipal elections as proof of this. “In the 2016 municipal elections, five black people stood as FF Plus candidates, two of them were in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, which is an area dominated by black people.”

The FF Plus leader remains optimistic the party’s growth will be reflected as the election results trickle in.

OFM News