He said this is a healthy development for democracy, as voters exercise their right to choose who they want in government.
Mantashe, however, believes smaller parties have largely benefited from criticising the ANC, and argued that none can match the ruling party’s historical contribution to the country.
He said it’s also too early to draw firm conclusions about the ANC’s electoral performance, and suggested that the party’s declining support should be viewed within the broader evolution of South Africa’s multiparty democracy.
“I see the decline, but I also see the growing number of political parties that are registered with the IEC. 806 parties are registered with the IEC, taking from the ANC; all of them campaigning about the ANC, and we talk about ourselves. I know that even small pieces, when they are together, can constitute a big cut, but the reality of the matter is that the multiplicity of parties that are registered with the IEC reflects the maturity of democracy rather than the decline of the ANC,” said Mantashe.
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Source: www.ewn.co.za
