Freedom Front Plus set to make the DA bleed
· Citizen
Freedom Front Plus (FF+) should grow in the upcoming elections as many voters bleed away from the DA, experts say.
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FF+ leader Corné Mulder announced two mayoral candidates for Tshwane over the weekend: seasoned lawyer Willie Spies and Grandi Theunissen, an experienced councillor and expert on local government, to lead the party’s campaign for the 2026 local government elections.
“Together they form an experienced and knowledgeable team that is determined to restore the capital to glory,” Mulder said, adding FF+ didn’t doubt Spies is the ideal candidate for Tshwane, because he understands the metro’s challenges from his experience.
“This includes practical problems that are the product of mismanagement, corruption and incompetence, such as power outages, water crises, dilapidated infrastructure and service delivery that is collapsing.
“He knows the frustration of residents who pay taxes but receive no value or service for it,” Mulder said.
Freedom Front Plus votes
Political analyst Daniel Silke said the FF+ will be feeling optimistic about its upping of votes.
“There has been some bleeding away from the DA, certainly to the FF+. Both the DA and the FF+ fish in similar ponds when it comes to the electorate.
“Although it is a small party, any bleeding of votes away from the DA to the FF+ will raise its profile and give it some more seats in selected councils, particularly in Gauteng.”
The FF+ has limited growth potential, Silke said.
“Yes, it can take votes in Tshwane and other north Gauteng regions, and perhaps a bit north, but it is limited. It’s got a limited sectional appeal.
“The problem for the FF+ is that in a national election, they face a much bigger campaign from the DA and they don’t have the same resources, national footprint or the same organisational capacity.”
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In the election campaign, the DA will tell the voters not to split the national vote and waste it on smaller parties, Silke said.
“That message really resonates much closer to election time. In the interim, the FF+, as seen in by-elections more recently, is still going to come up against the mighty public relations machine from the DA, which might make it difficult.”
Silke said the DA now had the task to stop the bleed to smaller parties, not only to the FF+, but also to ActionSA.
‘Good reasons’
Political analyst Piet Croucamp said there are good reasons why the FF+ should do well in Pretoria and other areas.
“Especially considering the DA’s poor party management and the damage that leader John Steenhuisen, as minister of agriculture, is causing to the farming sector, in particular how he deals with the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.”
The DA’s support was likely to drop in the next election, Croucamp said.