If the parties reach an agreement it will be largely due to the efforts of Mmusi Maimane the former DA leader who now chairs parliament's all-important Appropriations Committee...

Steenhuisen and other DA figures tired of opposition politics seek government roles to avoid losing ground to rivals such as Herman Mashaba (ActionSA) Mmusi Maimane (Build One South Africa) or Songezo Zibi (Rise Mzansi)...

New kids on the block While smaller parties like Patricia de Lille's Good Songezo Zibi's Rise Mzansi and Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa (Bosa) were also campaigning in Cape Town they face an uphill battle...

Polls suggest that the MPC could achieve as much as 35% of the vote and seek closer links with like-minded opposition parties that have opted to stay outside the group such as Songezo Zibi's Rise Mzansi Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa and Gayton McKenzie's Patriotic Alliance (AC Vol 64 No 9 Writing the next act & Vol 65 No 6 Parties prepare for the costliest election & Vol 65 No 1 Tumbling support for ANC ends liberation era)...

Their strength will be tested after two years of intense organisation and team building: Rise Mzansi (RISE) headed by former newspaper editor and corporate communications executive Songezo Zibi whose inclusive style of leadership has won praise from poor South Africans and business leaders alike; Build One South Africa (BOSA) was founded by Mmusi Maimane the former leader of the DA who quit in frustration (AC Vol 60 No 23 The DA's race dilemma)...

Several of the smaller parties – such as Songezo Zibi's Rise Mzansi and Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa – have opted to remain outside the MPC but have indicated they will negotiate with it after the election...

In 2022/23 former DA leader Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa received R1...

There are now four former ANC members heading opposition parties: Jardine (Change Starts Now); Mmusi Maimane (Build One South Africa); Bantu Holomisa (United Democratic Movement); and Mosiuoa Lekota (Congress of the People)...

The most promising of the newcomers are Songezo Zibi's Rise Mzansi Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa (Bosa) and Jardine's Change Starts Now – none of which are yet represented in national or regional assemblies...

That leaves 10% to be shared among smaller parties and the vibrant new start-ups and proto-parties such as Action South Africa (estimated 5%) Rise Mzansi and former DA leader Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa (Bosa) (AC Vol 64 No 8 Doubts greet the DA's 'moonshot' coalition)...

Others said that if it wants to attract black voters it would need to explain the exodus from its ranks of impressive black leaders such as Lindiwe Mazibuko Mmusi Maimane Phumzile van Damme Mbali Ntuli Herman Mashaba and Bongani Baloyi...

New entrantsThe 2024 race which includes 37 political parties will also see several independent candidates such as: veteran activist Zackie Achmat; and former Business Day editor and founder of the Rivonia Circle think-tank Songezo Zibi; and Build One South Africa's leader Mmusi Maimane...