Why the ANC might be happy polling 40% — it's not even trying yet.

Opinion polls giving the ANC just 45% of the vote ahead of the coming general election are “good for the ANC”, veteran political writer and keen observer Sam Mkokeli tells Peter Bruce in this edition of Podcasts from the Edge. Just wait until the ruling party’s election machine gets going. At 45% percent (or 40% 0r 48% depending on the poll) given its performance in government the only way forward when it actually starts campaigning is up. Mkokeli takes a dim view of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address last week but sees no threat from the established opposition. He says the Multi-Party Charter, the centre-right election “coalition” of the Democratic Alliance, Inkhatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front +, ActionSA and smaller parties may not even survive the campaign intact, let alone threaten even if it manages to stay intact.