Internet service M-Web says that while its online mock election is not a definitive one, its results can be seen as a red flag for government.
The 'mock election` fun poll carried on M-Web`s site has attracted nearly 20 000 votes in under two weeks. Most of the votes were for minority parties, with the Freedom Front leading with 39.9% of the vote by yesterday, and the ANC trailing with 4% of the vote.
Commenting on the vote, World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck said the poll could in no way be viewed as an accurate reflection of what is happening on the ground, or of which way M-Web subscribers may vote. However, the fact that the ANC was featuring so poorly in the poll showed the digital divide was still a big issue in SA. He pointed out the irony as it could be seen to imply the failure of the ANC`s universal Internet access philosophy.
Russell Dreisenstock, GM of M-Web Home, echoed Goldstuck`s statements today, saying the outcome was proving interesting. Dreisenstock says the poll was intended to be fun and easy to use, rather than a secure and valid election. "I would be hesitant to draw any major conclusions from the outcome, but the low support for the ANC does appear to indicate that the digital divide is still with us."
While M-Web applauds any government initiatives to bridge this divide, Dreisenstock says a lot more must be done. "There are areas where the government is falling short - for example with the SNO [second national operator] delays and the slow legislative process. We hope polls such as this will serve as a red flag to spur government to continue the liberalisation of the telecoms industry and push Telkom to bring its prices into line."
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FF leads mock election while ANC falls behind
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