Picking the right model for your vote

THE plethora of political parties registered for the upcoming elections is almost a mirror image of the car industry in this country. There are a few well established manufacturers and a host of smaller companies.

All cars basically offer a means to an end, that is getting you from A to B in safety and efficiently. There are all sorts of add-ons and the base line is "you get what you pay for".

I liken the ANC to a fairly old car where the emphasis is on making the car look good with most of the money being spent on the glitz such as chrome, mirrors and fancy headlights. The motor is often neglected so the oil needed to drive the gears and bearings does not get to the parts, resulting in friction, heat and breakdown.

On the other hand the DA is a relatively new car but in trying to become more attractive to prospective buyers, often replaces worn parts with new. The problem is that the new parts do not always mesh cohesively with the old and rumbles from the engine occur now and then.

The newcomer to the industry is the EFF, but resembles an attempt to make a sports car out of scrap. It looks good in red and seemingly seems to attract young people with its promise of a cheap outlay, one beret, but is not likely to provide reliability in the long term.

The COPE model is like an Edsel in that it cannot really define its market and will in time be swallowed up by the bigger boys.

The IFP appears to be sold mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and one has doubts about its ability to go long distance due to its limited technical backup. It remains fairly unattractive as its design is still unchanged after 50 or so years.

In the wings we have the potential for a Workers Party. Keep in mind that the Volkswagen started off as an attempt to give all Germans an affordable car and we could see the growth of a party that may eventually give many South Africans something that they are all looking for. Safe driving on May 7!

Malcolm Dodds, Sherwood, Port Elizabeth