African Congress for Transformation (ACT) leader Ace Magashule says his party will forge strategic alliance partnerships with other parties including MK Party.
The expelled former ANC Secretary-General says the party will forge a strategic alliance partnership with Umkhonto weSizwe, a party backed by former President Jacob Zuma, a close ally.
A handful of ACT members marched through the Pietermaritzburg city centre, led by Magashule.
They are trying to garner support for the party, contesting an election for the first time.
Magashule is in KwaZulu-Natal to meet with branch members.
He, however, maintains ACT will contest the coming general elections independently.
“We are going to be on the ballot but we are going to contest elections as African Congress for Transformation and we are going to contest elections but we had discussions with several parties especially those we share same ideologies and policies where we define the DA as our ideological enemy. We are going to work with such parties, we have met several times in fact it will be a pleasure to work with Baba Msholozi Umkhonto weSizwe. We are going to work together with other likeminded parties, strategic alliances are very important in politics.”
Speculation about a possible merger with Umkhonto weSizwe party, prompted some ACT leaders to write a letter seeking clarity on this relation.
“I have seen the letter it was written by the comrades here, it is not talking about any merger, it is still talking about working together strategic alliances because it is what we are going to do. We are going to work with these parties because our people are hungry and we must fight hunger and femicide and we can’t do it alone on our own but we are saying to South Africans vote ACT wherever you are.”
Magashule, was neither surprised by the formation of the Umkhonto weSizwe Party or Zuma’s endorsement.
“Not shocked remember during the years of the struggles, the Freedom Charter in 1955 what did we fight for freedom of association, freedom of affiliation, freedom of speech, you can join any party. The Constitution of South Africa allows Jacob Zuma and us and any other person to establish to establish parties Comrade Holomisa comes from the ANC, Comrade Malema comes from the ANC who doesn’t come from the ANC. It is democracy, it is maturing and the South African people must have a choice now, I can tell you South African people are going to vote ACT.”
ACT was formed in October last year, a few months after Magashule was expelled from the ANC.
According to Magashule they have a membership of around 500 000.
He will spend the weekend in KwaZulu-Natal on party activities.
