Central SA
Opposition parties‘ mixed reaction towards Ace’s new party─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:00 Fri, 01 Sep 2023
“The ANC in the Free State is highly factionalised and divided and this could be the deciding factor to split the ANC in the Free State.”
The formation of a new political party by former Free State Premier Ace Magashule has garnered mixed reactions from opposition parties in the country.
EFF Secretary-General in the Free State, Maphaule Liphoko, welcomed the announcement and wished him well. He said Magashule will get a large backing from members of the ANC in the Free State. He, however, cautioned the African Congress Transformation (ACT) president to brace himself for real political turbulence. Liphoko further described Magashule’s formation of ACT as a good move for the EFF and said the move will weaken the ANC, especially in the Free State.
Ace Magashule is launching his new political outfit, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT). The launch takes place just months after he was expelled from the ANC. pic.twitter.com/YIkV2IIuQ7
— Kgothatso Madisa (@kgmadisa) August 30, 2023
Provincial DA leader Roy Jankielsohn said Magashule’s move not to support the ANC in future will have major implications for the governing party, especially in the Free State.
“If there is any child today who is going to bed with an empty stomach is because of him and his cabal.”
“The ANC in the Free State is highly factionalised and divided and this could be the deciding factor to split the ANC in the Free State. It also creates opportunities for opposition voters to make changes to the political landscape of the Free State and the Free State provincial government,” he said.
Action SA Chairperson in the Free State, Patricia Kopane. Photo: Lucky Nkuyane
Meanwhile, Action SA Chairperson in the Free State, Patricia Kopane, urged voters to not vote for Magashule’s party in next year's elections. She said the ACT president has built a monument of corruption in the Free State.
“He is actually a shame. If I was him, I would never even go close to any South African citizen. I would hide myself or leave this country because he failed the people of South Africa. If there is any child today who is going to bed with an empty stomach, it is because of him and his cabal,” said Kopane.
She further said Magashule has left the people of the Free State in a dire state.
