Leaders of political parties held their final rallies over the weekend ahead of South Africa's fourth democratic election to be held on Wednesday.

Opposition parties predictably criticised the ANC, but, some also aimed their barbs at the current official opposition, the DA, as they fight for the spoils of undecided voters who don't want to vote for the ANC in what Zapiro dubbed the "Ballot Box Blues" in his Sunday Times cartoon.

ANC president Jacob Zuma, who is expected to become the country's next president, called the coming election a "defining" one at the party's final rally at a packed Coca Cola Park and Johannesburg Stadium.

He said the party had never posed a threat to the Constitution, one of the fears raised by people opposed to the party having a two thirds majority in Parliament.

"In 15 years that it has been in power the ANC has never used its electoral mandate to change the constitution" he said.

Opposition parties have cautioned South Africans against voting for the ANC to prevent it from receiving a two-thirds majority, which they charge the party would use to change the Constitution.

He said the party had "run a good race" in its campaign adding: "We kept our eyes on the ball and played the ball, not a person."

On stage with him were ANC Youth League president Julius Malema who previously called DA deputy leader Joe Seremane a "garden boy", and Women's League leader Angie Motshekga who referred to the co-founders of Cope as "the dogs" when they left the ANC.

Boesak's barbs

Allan Boesak, who is now a Western Cape premier candidate for ANC breakaway group Cope, accused his former political home of "lying" to the people for the 15 years it had been ruling, during a rally in Khayelitsha on Saturday.

But then he turned on DA leader Helen Zille, who also hopes to be the province's premier, saying in a statement on Sunday that "one hasn't enough digits to count the potholes" around Cape Town, where she is currently mayor.

At Cope's main rally though in Seshego, Limpopo, the party's deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa called for the corruption charges against Zuma to be reinstated.

Cope chairperson Terror Lekota said the ANC, which he had once chaired, had betrayed the dream of anti-apartheid struggle leaders, while Cope president Mvume Dandala said voters must choose "humble servants of the people".

De Lille attacks DA

The Independent Democrats' Patricia de Lille also turned on the DA, saying it still had a "baasskap" mentality.

The ID is a likely coalition partner of the DA in the Western Cape after the election, and is currently the second-largest party in the coalition that controls the City of Cape Town.

"If you just stand up according to your rights and the Constitution, stand up for the people you represent, then they take it as an affront," De Lille said.

The Inkatha Freedom Party said at its final rally in Nseleni in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday that it would show the party still commanded huge support and was ready to take control of the province from the ANC.

Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said it was not true that the IFP support had dwindled to such an extent that the DA would trounce them in the province.

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, also a former ANC man, said there was a new "elite faction" in the ANC who were ready to board the "gravy train".

"It is time to reverse the political culture of an elite prescribing to the majority," he said in the text of a speech for delivery at his party's final election rally, in Khayelitsha in the Cape Flats.

"The ruling party has become an exclusive club, where small groups battle it out for access to State resources."

A slow start

Meanwhile, the DA's final rally, held in Middelburg in Mpumalanga got off to a stuttering start.

Zille said this was due to having to change the venue because of interference by ANC-aligned officials and said the police had to clear a crowd that tried to block them.

The rally was finally held at a football field, and, switching between three languages, she reiterated her call for Zuma to stand trial for corruption and accused the party of lying about its commitment to the poor.

"He must go and answer to his 783 charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering," said Zille.

Zille, who did not want to make any prediction on what she expects is going to happen in the election, said the ANC is frightened of the DA.

"We have won by-elections on three occasions and we are building a new majority which will protect the rights and cultural heritage of all people," she said.

Sapa

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