Maimane aims for 2-million votes as he hopes to jump ahead of EFF and DA in upcoming elections

Despite no South African party attaining two-million votes in its first election contested post 1994, former DA leader Mmusi Maimane has set an ambitious target for his newly formed party to break the record in the hotly contested 2024 national elections.

Maimane caused a stir on social media after he posted that his party Build One SA (Bosa) wanted to get 2-million votes in its first national election contest. Many people believed Maimane was being too eager and would not attain the votes with a party that was launched last September.

In an interview with TimesLIVE Maimane, however, believed his goal was achievable, saying the upcoming elections would be unique and would change the country’s political landscape.

“These are the most unique elections SA has ever had and the way we are going to vote is different,” he said.

Post 1994 no party in its first election contested has attained 2-million votes. ANC’s breakaway party Congress of the People (COPE) in 2009 received 1,311,027 votes a few months after it was founded by Mosiuoa Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa and Mluleki George.

EFF in its first national election in 2014 received 1,169,259 votes. The DA contesting in its first national election in 2004 received 1,931,201 ballots. 

Maimane believes the country’s unemployment level and rising crime would push voters to take a chance on not so dominant parties.

“We have the worst government that has failed, and the political system has let many citizens down. We are going into an election like no other. Cost of living is up, crime is up, we have a government that governs as though black lives do not matter.” 

Though Maimane conceded that Bosa did not have millions of members affiliated to it, he said this would not be a factor in getting the numbers.

“Membership is an old way of building political parties, today we focus on activists in communities who go out and mobilise society. All you need are foot soldiers who are going across the country to mobilise people and work in the best interests of these communities.” 

Despite some people criticising Maimane, saying he took too long to return to politics after his exit from the DA in 2019, the Bosa leader believes he still has a constituency in SA politics.

In the last government elections Maimane’s Bosa assisted independent candidates. He was confident the party was able to make an impact in communities across the country through supporting ordinary community activists.

“We have shown how we work in communities, as a government in working and not in waiting. When you go to a community like Limpopo which does not have water, we installed a borehole there. We are working with traditional leaders and community leaders because if it is for the people, it must be by the people.” 

IEC has 26,880,590 registered voters, and the 18-29 age groups have lower numbers compared with 30-49 age groups. Maimane said he wanted to focus on getting votes from the 18-39 age groups, to get more younger people represented in parliament.

Planning his comeback to parliament, Maimane said he wanted to be vocal about job creation, crime solutions and education. 

“This election is ultimately about putting a job in every home because at the end of the day, South African living standards have decreased. SA has a poor middle-class, and our middle-class numbers are decreasing. We have to put a job in every household. 

“If we want SA to be stable, we must realise that when people are not working and people are living below the upper-bound poverty line, we are going to end up in a space where our country is unstable and in crisis.”