Not sure which party to vote for? Here’s how to make your decision

Choosing a political party to vote for in the general elections on May 29 might seem daunting because there are many parties to choose from, each with their own ideologies and values.

Caxton Local Media asked political experts for advice on how to decide which party deserves your vote.

Study party manifestos

“It is good to look at the party manifestos. Then you can see what the parties say they will do for citizens. It is also good to vote on issues rather than party loyalty,” says Prof Amanda Gouws, a distinguished professor in political science at Stellenbosch University.

Gouws says if a specific issue like employment is important to you, look at what parties say they are going to do about unemployment.

Establish the values of political parties

Prof Pieter Duvenage, an independent political commentator, says an informed choice relates to the values, ideology or policies of your chosen political party.

“Are you pro-free market or not? In South Africa, the split between left, more centrist and right positions is quite well-known. Normally, criticism of a free market is more towards the left, while the right is more in the direction of a free market.”

Duvenage says voters must study political parties well to know which ideology and values they will be voting for.

Resources to help you make a choice

Voters can use a variety of resources and be actively involved in the development of political parties’ perspectives, says Dr Heather Thuynsma, a senior lecturer in political sciences at the University of Pretoria.

“Voters can start by looking carefully at what political parties are saying in books like the one compiled by Nickolaus Bauer titled South Africa’s Easy Election Guide: Who to Vote for in 2024?”

This book can be downloaded free of charge on the ESI Press website or by clicking on this link.

“I would also encourage voters to go to each party’s website and their official social media accounts to see what they are saying there.”

Thuynsma encourages voters to visit outreach events hosted by political parties and even to message them to ask what their position on an issue is.

“If they respond, that will be an indication of how much your vote means to them.”

I don’t have a party that stands for my issues

Thuynsma says young voters often tell her that there is no political party that stands for their issues.

“With over 300 parties and a number of independent candidates running at national and provincial level this year, I find it hard to believe that a particular issue is not being addressed adequately. And if it isn’t, then perhaps you, as a voter, need to participate and help parties appreciate your needs and change their perspectives.

“If you don’t participate, how are they to know what your needs are? A successful democracy takes hard work – are you willing to do your bit?”

Will I waste my vote by voting for a smaller party?

According to the experts, you need to keep certain things in mind when voting for so-called smaller political parties.

Gouws says it is a strategic calculation. By voting for a smaller party, it might help them to get at least one seat in Parliament. A party needs about 50 000 votes for one seat.

“On the other hand, if you want a certain party to govern a province, for example, you may want to vote for a bigger party.”

Thuynsma says there is a place at local level for smaller parties to earn their stripes. “If you vote for them at a local level, they can show you what they can achieve and who they are likely to work with. They earn your vote with hard work, which I think any voter will appreciate.”

She says on a national level, it is less clear what smaller parties will be able to achieve if they earn a couple of seats in Parliament.

“Perhaps voters need to ask these smaller parties that question – what will they do in the National Assembly should they get there? Who will they partner with? They need to earn your vote as much as the more established parties!”

Duvenage says this question comes back to the party that supports your values.

“If you vote for a smaller party with a specific policy, and that has certain values similar to bigger parties, then they can also go into a bigger coalition, but at least with the policies you have voted for to be addressed in that coalition.”

Lists of all political parties and independent candidates

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has complete lists available of all the political parties and independent candidates running for the elections.

Click here to access the lists.

Fact-checked manifestos

Caxton Local Media has joined an alliance of media organisations, supported by the Google News Initiative and led by Africa Check, to combat misinformation ahead of the South African national and provincial elections.

Africa Check has fact-checked several political parties’ manifestos. These reports can be found here.