The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) have declared their joint Election Summit as a significant moment in South Africa’s political landscape.
The two parties, sharing similar ideologies, met in Johannesburg to strategize their election pact for the upcoming 2024 elections, following their cooperation agreement signed in 2021.
With the national and provincial elections just months away, the stakes are high, as more than 450 political parties have expressed their interest in participating, and political negotiations have begun.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently proposed their Moonshot Pact as part of their election strategy, while Azapo and the PAC are considering the possibility of approaching the 2024 campaign as a united entity.
PAC Secretary General Apa Pooe expressed the historic significance of the joint efforts, stating, “Today, the PAC and Azapo are making history. This mission started long ago in Zimbabwe, but today marks the turning point in the history of this country. Never again shall we have Azapo and PAC as two separate organizations.”
Azapo’s President, Nelvis Qekema, believes that the collaboration between Azapo and the PAC will fill the country’s political void and address the misrule of the past three decades.
Qekema emphasized, “Azapo and the PAC have come together because we hold the political memo, because we have the political reference for democracy and freedom. We are the liberation movement, and as Azapo and the PAC, we need to close the gap because there has been an outcry out there… The public has put pressure on these two organizations and demanded that we deliver them from this mess because we are the keepers of the political memo.”
PAC and Azapo joint election summit marks turning point in political landscape:
Absence of Azapo and PAC
Political analyst Dr Mpumelelo Mkhabela highlighted the absence of Azapo and the PAC from the current political landscape, considering their relentless battles during the liberation struggle. He viewed it as an indictment on both parties, stating that when the ANC falters, voters seeking a party aligned with the liberation struggle should turn to the PAC and Azapo.
The cooperation between Azapo and the PAC began with their declaration of cooperation in 2021. Since then, they have held joint commemorative services for the Sharpeville Massacre and the June 16 Uprisings. The parties agreed that standing side-by-side in the upcoming elections would be a fitting tribute to their founding fathers, the late Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe and Steven Bantu Biko.
AZAPO-PAC ELECTIONS SUMMIT currently in session.
The outcomes of the Summit will be communicated to the public during a press briefing.
The details of the press briefing will be shared once the Summit adjourns.#SIGN4BIKO@SABCNews @eNCA @Newzroom405 @SAfmRadio @Powerfm987 pic.twitter.com/zIHwXzEhBy
— AZAPO (@AZAPO_News) July 15, 2023
— AZAPO (@AZAPO_News) July 13, 2023
