By Eleanor Momberg and Sapa
Minutes after learning his party would have no representation in the National Assembly after a poor performance in the general election, National Action leader Cassie Aucamp quipped that he would have no choice but to stand on a street corner begging for money.
"I was asked if I am going to join the Freedom Front Plus, but I said I think I'm going to get a sign saying: 'Young wife, children, no job'," he told bystanders at the election results centre in Pretoria.
Aucamp learnt just after 2pm that the NA would get no Parliamentary seats. His party had garnered 0,1 percent of the votes by 3pm on Friday. He described it as a huge disappointment, saying he never expected it.
"I thought our third seat would be the worrying issue, not the first."
PAC leader Motsoko Pheko said on Friday that the party was still a force to be reckoned with as it addressed the concerns and needs of the poorest of the poor. According to preliminary election results received by late yesterday afternoon, the PAC had received only 110 862 votes, or 0,73 percent of the total ballot.
Pheko said the party had challenged some of the results received but had found that "the IEC has a soft spot for the ruling party".
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille said the results, which had her new party placed fifth with 264 470 votes (1,74 percent) in the preliminary national results, had shown that the party had proven support, particularly in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng.