ELECTION CAMPAIGNS 2024: MK, IFP, ANC just dipping into each other’s support AI & Big Data needed to pull unregistered v

With only months to go South Africa’s national elections, the campaigns run by political parties are not “igniting” the youth enough to bring unregistered voters to the polls. So says Glen Mpani, the host of the first International PolCampaigns Expo held in Cape Town recently. He says MK, the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party) and the ANC (African National Congress) are just “dipping” into each others’ support, but not activating those unwilling to vote. He hopes that the smaller parties like BOSA (Build One South Africa) Rise Mzansi and ActionSA will be able to “find the magic” and be the “game changers”. Mpani describes how AI and big data can be used to run political campaigns more effectively - and lists the ways in which the threat of disinformation can be countered.