South Africa’s main opposition backs Chamisa

South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has offered its support to the MDC Alliance ahead of next week‘s harmonised elections.

DA president Mmusi Maimane said while he was still to meet MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa, he has spoken to several of his lieutenants and offered his support.

“We certainly stand with the opposition and hope that the election will produce a credible outcome,” Maimane said.

He said his party was ready to provide the MDC Alliance with assistance on legal, policy and media issues, saying this was an extension of an open offer to founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, now late.

“These are the conversations I also used to have with Tsvangirai, to say, ‘How can we help the people of Zimbabwe and have the economy working again.

“An unstable Zimbabwe is unstable for Sadc and also for South Africa.”

The DA’s offer comes as there are serious disagreements between the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and the opposition over a raft of issues which include the availability of the voters’ roll and the printing, storage and distribution of ballot paper. — Sunday Times/ Daily News