Analyst labels Unite For Change a ‘marriage of convenience’

 

Political commentator, Goodenough Mashego, has labelled the newly formed alliance between Rise Mzansi, BOSA, and the GOOD party as a weak marriage of convenience.

He says the partnership is going to die an early death because of their differences.

Mashego’s remarks come in the wake of a bold new political collaboration — Unite for Change — under which the three parties plan to contest next year’s crucial municipal elections. The alliance’s leaders say their collaboration is aimed at driving national unity and tackling South Africa’s worsening economic challenges.

Mashego says while South Africans may appear to be myopic, they are not stupid.

He says the parties are realising that they will not do well at the national polls in 2029.

“Now you’re just trying to extend your fortunes by holding on to a position at the local level. So I think South Africans can see through them the same as South Africans saw through the ANC,” he said.

Mashego also slammed the three organisations as centre-right parties.

 

He says BOSA, Rise Mzansi, and the GOOD Party would be better suited in a Government of National Unity (GNU).

Meanwhile, Governance expert Leo Maphosa, believes the collaboration signals a maturing of the country’s democratic ecosystem rather than its disintegration.

“This kind of collaboration should have long happened among other parties that speak the same language, sing the same ideology, and advance the same logos.”

“Unfortunately, our political culture has often been shaped by narrow personal interest, the desire for a seat at the dining table, rather than a genuine commitment to the constituencies we claim to serve,” he said.

Maphosa, however, highlighted that unity of purpose is often lost to the politics of self-preservation.

“Yes, the overgrowing list of political formations has long been a concern, but perhaps this marks a turning point, a move from political proliferation to strategic collaboration.”

“If these formations can transcend personal politics  and generally align around values and solutions, this could become a defining force heading into 2026 and 2029,” he added.

IT’S OFFICIAL!
Three parties. One movement. 🇿🇦
Today, we launch Unite for Change, a new political party to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections, bringing hope and action to communities across South Africa.#UNITEFORCHANGE pic.twitter.com/f75doPeg9Z

— UniteforChangeSA (@Unite4ChangeZA) October 5, 2025

South Africa is a great country that is filled with too many inconsistencies and false promises and we need all that corrected and changed and that change starts now! Governance needs to be applied on all levels and that is what #UniteForChange is striving for pic.twitter.com/632qN4NfyW

— HIM (@Zulu_Goku) October 6, 2025

I need Unite For Change to gun for Johannesburg and Gauteng first. They don’t have to win nationally yet. They must also gun for Eastern Cape 🙏🏾

Just get 20-40 seats in the National Assembly in the next election and then build from there 🙏🏾.

— The Dark Knight (@ViwePotelwa) October 6, 2025

Unite for Change coalition (RISE, BOSA, GOOD) – three political mosquitoes have teamed up hoping to become an elephant. 🦟🦟🦟➡️🐘😭

What GOOD will come out of this?

— In A Nutshell🥜 (@Markosonke1) October 6, 2025

The formation of Unite for Change is a commendable move. Hopefully it’ll inspire many, especially the left, to value unity above narrow political interests. As for the avowed followers of Sobukwe and Biko, only unity can catapult us to greater heights. It’s simple: UNITE OR DIE!

— Letlapa Mphahlele (@LetlapaMphahlel) October 6, 2025