By Prudence Nhavingo
The emergence of the new South African political party, Rise Mzansi, has sparked curiosity and intrigue among residents across various parts of Gauteng. Many were taken aback to encounter posters featuring the party’s leader adorning electricity poles, a sight that prompted a wave of inquiries and speculation.
Rise Mzansi is a new South African political party founded in April 2023 and launched on the 19th of April 2023 in Johannesburg at the Constitution Hill. The political party is led by the former associate editor of the Financial Mail, former editor of the Business Day and the co-founder of Rivonia Circle think tank, Songezo Zibi and it has taken part in the 2024 elections.
“As a resident of Mabopane I did not even know that there is a political party named Rise Mzansi and I was so surprised to see people hanging the party’s poster on our electric poles,” said Dudu Mduli a resident of Mabopane.
The political party’s slogan is “2024 Is Our 1994” in reference to South African’s first democratic elections and the word “Mzansi” from the name of the political party’s name was taken from South African Xhosa language “Mzantsi” which means south. It is referred as the democratic socialist political party as it is a form of social democracy where the government is organized by democracy, and it believes that social and economic decisions should be made by those whom they affect. And it actively looks on the economic democracy, workplace democracy, and workers’ self- management within a market labor, distributed plans, or democratic centrally planned community economy.
Rise Mzansi and other six political parties which are uMkhonto we Sizwe, Build One South African, Action Alliance Development Party, African Restoration Alliance, Change Starts Now Political Party, and the United African Transformation Party were formed between the year 2023 and 2024 with the aim to bring about change in the country with their different goals, priorities, principle, focus and plans.
According to Micheal Shackleton, a Metro lead for Rise Mzansi, the political party has principles which they stand on and follow which are the principle to a constitutional democracy where the constitution is the supreme law, a government based on the will of the people and elected by the people, a free, fair and regular elections that are run independently, South African people enjoying their freedoms without the fear of criminals, all South Africans having access to quality basis service and opportunities to live a better life, public representatives who serve the people and are responsible, ethical and do their duty with care.
And the political party will be focusing on the following: leadership and governance, safety and the rule of the law, economy, and jobs, Individual, family and community well-being, and the climate crisis.
