POLL | Roger Jardine could be South Africa's next president — do you know who he is?

If you don't know who Roger Jardine is, it would do you some good to research him now, because he could be South Africa's next president.

That is if the multiparty charter (MPC) has its way and can get more than 50% in next year's general elections.

Reports by the Sunday Times revealed that Jardine, a businessman, met with DA leaders to discuss him being the face of the multiparty charter and also the president.

Those funding the MPC are said to have deep pockets and are adamant that they want a presidential candidate with stature and illustrious credentials. 

The “moonshot pact” was launched in August and is made up of the DA, IFP, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, United Independent Movement, Spectrum National Party and the Independent South African National Civic Organisation.

Some facts about Roger Jardine:

• He was born in 1965 and holds a BSc in Physics from Haverford College in 1989 and an MSc in Radiological Physics from Wayne State University in 1991.
• When he was just 29 years old, Jardine was appointed director-general for the department of arts, culture, science and technology in 1995.
• Jardine is the outgoing chair of FirstRand.
• He is the former CEO of Kagiso, Primedia and Aveng.
• He is an anti-apartheid activist, where he fiercely challenged the oppressive apartheid regime through protests and boycotts.

The multiparty pact aims to unseat the ANC as the governing party.

Sources familiar with the matter said funders will inject R1bn to fortify an election campaign that plans to use the DA as a platform to unseat the ruling party.

According to the Sunday Times, when DA leader John Steenhuisen was asked about meeting Jardine he confirmed having met with the businessman but said no formal discussions about him becoming the charter’s presidential candidate took place.

“As DA leader, I meet with a broad range of people and organisations. Roger is one of them and we’ve struck up a personal friendship. However, decisions around formal co-operation with anyone in terms of the DA’s whole-of-society approach are subject to our internal processes,” Steenhuisen said.

“While it is premature to speak of any formal engagement, the DA is committed to working with like-minded individuals and groups to rescue South Africa.”

South Africans are expected to go to the polls next year between May and August. Some believe these elections will be a reckoning for the ruling party as there is widespread dissatisfaction among citizens. Among the plethora of challenges faced by ordinary South Africans are poor service delivery, unemployment, the high cost of living, corruption and load-shedding.

TimesLIVE