Election posters are seen in Johannesburg, on October 23, 2026. AFP/Ilaria Finizio
PRETORIA - With just hours to go before special voting gets underway ahead of the 4 November local government elections, Tshwane FF Plus mayoral candidate Willie Spies has urged voters to choose political parties based on their principles rather than their size.
Spies argues that smaller parties should not be dismissed as offering "wasted votes", saying South Africa's political landscape has changed permanently and that no single party should expect to dominate the political scene.
He criticised parties that campaign on promises to eliminate smaller political players, arguing that such an approach undermines the principles of democracy.
“Up to 10 years ago, there was only one big party in South Africa, and that was the ANC. Every other party was a smaller party. Ten years ago, things changed, and they changed forever. There won't ever be one political party dominating the political scene anymore,” Spies said.
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He added that every political party starts an election on an equal footing, with voters ultimately determining how much representation each party receives.
“In an election, every single party starts at zero percent. It is up to the voters to decide what the representation of each and every political party will be after the elections.”
Citing the Democratic Party's performance in the 1994 elections, Spies pointed out that the party secured just 1.7% of the vote before growing into a larger political force.
“Democracy should be allowed to run its course. People should be allowed to vote for principle, not for size. If size is the only thing you can offer, you've got very little to offer.”
The FF Plus is currently the fifth-largest party in the City of Tshwane. Spies believes the municipality urgently needs a change in leadership and management.
“Municipalities are about four things: water, electricity, infrastructure and safety. The past 15 years of municipal management was a dismal failure in all four respects,” Spies said.
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He urged voters to look beyond established political power structures and consider parties offering a different approach to governance.
“You cannot keep on doing the same thing and expect any changes. People need to start voting for political parties according to principle.”
Positioning the FF Plus as a potential coalition partner, Spies said the party believes in values-driven governance and wants to see Tshwane succeed.
“The FF Plus is a reliable coalition party. We believe in principle government based on values, and we want to see this city succeed,” he said.