SA parties’ pole position
From a slimmed-down Malema to a serious Maimane who clearly means business, political parties are making election posters an important part of their all-out battle for the hearts and minds of voters
The EFF hits a home run: a relaxed, smiling Julius Malema looks "energetic" and "vibrant" — "not [like] a fat cat". DA leader Mmusi Maimane, in contrast, "has to look serious". Meanwhile, Cyril Ramaphosa is "the only thing the ANC has to offer". With about two weeks to go before South Africans turn out for the country’s sixth democratic elections, political parties have, quite literally, taken their messages to the streets. Grinning politicians beam down from lamp poles and traffic lights — with the exception of the solemn Maimane, that is. But it’s not just pageantry: pundits agree that good election posters are an important part of any party’s campaign. "[The election poster] plays two roles," says Gareth van Onselen, head of policy research at the SA Institute of Race Relations (IRR). "The first is qualitative — in terms of the message the posters carry. The second is quantitative — in terms of the number and sense of ‘presence’ they create for a party’s particular brand … They s...
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