De Beer: On the MPC, RET, ANC & the IEC’s “earth-shattering bomb” on smaller parties…

The Multi-Party Charter (MPC), the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) factions and the African National Congress (ANC) are the three “slides” in the election show of 2024. That is according to Neil de Beer of the United Independent Movement (UIM) – a party in the Multi-Party Charter (MPC). In this interview with BizNews, he talks about the “earth-shattering bomb” the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has dropped on smaller parties, a move that could prevent them from fighting the election and force some out of the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) that is currently “scratching” the 40% mark. He describes how growing support for the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) factions could collectively gain 35% of the vote. He floats some interesting coalition scenarios. But he warns that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) will not surrender easily: He says the fight is already “dirty” and “deals are being made, meetings are currently being held in the most unobtrusive smaller coffee shops in this country”.

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Relevant timestamps from the interview

00:00 – Introduction
00:32 – The IEC has dropped a bombshell on smaller parties
02:57 – What’s happening in the multi-party charter at the moment?
05:02 – The coming months for the MPC
06:26 – ANC busing people in to vote for them
08:20 – Radical economic transformation faction
16:05 – The polls are unpredictable
18:01 – 2026 Local government elections
19:30 – Conclusion

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Highlights from the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___

The “bomb” the IEC has dropped on smaller parties:

“I think I can escalate that bomb to an atom bomb today. It will probably turn into nuclear tomorrow. The IEC decided three days ago to announce the cut-off date, which was about three days ago. We have until the 8th of March. In other words, they gave us eight days to complete our registrations, to pay our money.

“The problem with us, the new parties, the smaller parties, is that they are demanding 14,000 physical signatures to be signed and they are not contemplating or giving us the right to electronically register whatsoever.

“Now, in my opinion, many parties, in actual fact, tens of parties are now currently on the cosh because the existing parties that are on the national platform, they do not need the signatures. So this has really been a massive shock to us.

“Now, we are in a fight for our lives at this moment in time, and we are bordering on the fact to say to the IEC, in actual fact, we wrote them a letter to say that this is a blatant attack on the democratic right of an individual to vote for a smaller party, which is the alternative to the bigger ones that have brought us here 30 years later.

“So yeah, tremendous earth-shattering bomb, but I can tell you, we will fight them until the last minute, one minute past five on Friday. We will fight them every step of the way.”

The impact of the IEC’s decision on the Multi-Party Charter:

“As part of the Multi-Party Charter, I can tell you we’ve played a very pinnacle role. We are a very loud voice within that 11-party alliance. And to just think that we will be exempted and thrown out because of this technicality…

“And I think that is truly shocking for everybody. So yes, I fear that many of us at this current moment will be silenced. I dread to think that after next week Friday, should we not hit the 14,000 benchmark, that we will be removed from the MPC and we will not have a voice there.

“But the continued scenario of the partners in the Multi-Party Charter will continue to fight. They will continue to remain in the Alliance.

“And after this election, which I am wholeheartedly knowing that we will give them a good run for their money, that is now the ANC, the Dragonian Darkness of the Hyena Clan of the Lion Pride, that we will remove them. We do not need to be there. The UIM does not need to be present to ensure that change in this country will continue.”

The ANC’s strategy of logistics on voting day:

“…the ANC does not do politics. They are preparing for logistics.

“They will continue to fight, they will not surrender easily…if they’re not going to win this by hook, they will most definitely do this by crook.

“But it is a sad state of affairs that after more than 115 years of existence, one of the oldest liberation movements…has dithered today to what I will now describe as the enemy of the people.

“And that’s sad because not only does this country, if it remains under an ANC government, become a desperate affair of looting because they know, shall they not do it this year, no doubt in 2029, there will be no more ANC to significantly talk about.”

The growing power of the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) factions:

“No doubt this new MK party….is already crossing more than 8% barrier at this moment in time in their growth. They (the ANC) have to stop them because if the Jacob Zuma faction continues to grow, no doubt they will surpass the 10% voter mark.

“Now that will be interesting because you will now sit with a brand new faction. Let’s call them the third slide in the show. You will have the MPC grouping. You will have the ANC, and let’s call them friends of the ANC, your COPE (Congress of the People), the UDM (United Democratic Movement) grouping, et cetera, that are currently in that cabal that vote with them on every side. And then you’ve got the third grouping now. This massive gray cloud now rising. And that is the RET factions of Ace Magashule’s party (the African Congress for Transformation) who is absolutely focusing on causing tantamount damage to the ANC voter specifically in the Free State. And he’s also reaching out to the Limpopo area and Gauteng. So Ace is relevant. Then the EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters), which I cluster now with this group. And then the MK party who’s now joining.

“Now just imagine, the highlight as follows: The MPC, which is now 11 parties…we are touching, we are scratching the 40% mark. Because if you look at the DA, which in my opinion might not grow in tremendous percentages, but no doubt they will definitely not get under 20%. They might get 22, 23. If you look at their 22, if you look at what ActionSA is saying that they will surpass 8 to 10 percent, even more. If you look at the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party) getting their normal 4 to 5, if you look at the Freedom Front (FF+) getting their normal 4, if you look at ourselves that are heading between 0.8 and 1.5 percent of the vote, et, you can calculate that we’re looking at 40. That is where we are today.

“Now, if you go back and you look at the EFF, they will not surpass 15 percent. They will stay between 10 and 12. That is what we’re looking at. But let’s call it a base 10. So the EFF clocks in at 10. No doubt, I am telling you that the MK party will surpass 8%. So let’s clock them at 10. And then you will look at the smaller factions, the Ace Magashule’s, the other groupings that are popping up and moving. I’m telling you, if you take their collective, you’re also looking at 10.

“Now this is interesting. Now we’re talking interesting because what happens if that conglomerate makes up 35%? Then this is now the cloud. Let’s call them the Radical Economic Transformation Grouping. Remember they’re out of the ANC and every one of them has declared the ANC, so does the MPC, to be removed.

“So the questions of coalition of EFF, ANC, MK, I do not think that’s going to happen. They will fight them for government like we will fight them.

“You will sit with a very interesting scenario if the MPC gets between 35 and 40 percent and the RET faction, which is now to the left of the ANC, if they get 35.

“Now the question is, will sober minds, clear minds, remove themselves from internal leftist or rightful politics and sit around the table with the other 35%?

“Let’s leave the EFF for now because that is also a sticking point at the MPC. In actual fact, our charter agreement, which is public, says that no member of the Multi-Party Charter may form a governance alliance with the ANC whatsoever. So that is a declaration. And if you want to then make a coalition with the ANC, you have to resign and remove yourself from the MPC.

“It would then be very interesting to say that if we fall short of the 50 plus the UIM 1…will we be able then maybe to sit around the table, take our 45, 48 or 49% and then sit down and say, who do we now form coalitions with? Outside, that’s a no. Now we’re not saying it is with the RET faction, but there are parties like Rise Mzansi, parties like BOSA (Build One South Africa), people like Mmusi Maimane, parties that are growing who might then still, after the election, decide to form a coalition government with the MPC at the moment.”

Electronic Warfare:

“In the past three days, they have wiped our WhatsApp groups four times from the face of the earth. Now I’m telling you…they have now gone to electronic warfare. And that’s obvious.

“I mean, if I was in that position, which I’m not, then I would have done probably the same if I lived in the dark like they do.

“So we must make no bones about this. This thing is going to become dirty. In actual fact, it already is dirty.

“As we go closer to 29 May, this is going to become rough and we have to hold on to our horses.

“Deals are being made. Meetings are currently being held in the most unobtrusive smaller coffee shops in this country. And my opinion? Sad. Sad that this will happen. Sad that we will be sitting at tables and groveling over meat when the people of this country are hungry. Very sad.”

Taking the fight to the 2026 Local Government Elections:

“Every day, every night, we will unleash thunder and lightning because we believe that this country is worth every penny, every drop of blood, every minute, because we are Africans. Africa is a tough country. And at this current moment, we ask that this country’s people rise, rise with attitude.

“So no it’s not going to end. If we lose this one, the barrens of 2026 will be the next battleground that we can go because we are fighting for the heart, the soul and yes, the restoration of a magnificent country.”