![Themba Hadebe An election poster of independent candidate Anele Mda is displayed on a pole in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 16, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/d143c9db5a0d4f3088f73425257f2539/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
An election poster of independent candidate Anele Mda is displayed on a pole in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 16, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
![Themba Hadebe Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/10d0076415dd4c9aba92928ebe6760cb/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
![Themba Hadebe Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/e41c5d6f823d42d8a069741e82e18c59/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
![Themba Hadebe Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/2b41a2d63f824b1683d9e22ff066a445/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
![Themba Hadebe Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/5381f722f7e24d74bed0f22ae4f50d50/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Independent candidate Anele Mda speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. In 2008, Mda was among members of the African National Congress who broke away from the ruling party to form the Congress of the People which contested elections the following year and secured over 7% of the national vote, becoming the second biggest opposition party in Parliament. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)