South African ruling party the African National Congress (ANC) today launched its Mxit app for the Western Cape (WC) public to enhance interconnection on mobile platform.
With a reach of one million active users per month, South African chat app Mxit will provide a gateway of engagement for the political party.
The new release will enable the ANC to interact with the “core youth market” in a cost effective way, it said in a presentation this morning in Cape Town.
Sarah Rice, vice president of communications at Mxit, said: “Our core audience of 18 to 25 year olds and the fact our social network can be accessed by over 3,000 different phones makes Mxit the right platform to use to engage and communicate with the young voting community.”
According to ANC WC spokesperson Phillip Dexter, more than 1,000 downloads occurred within the first few hours.
Speaking to HumanIPO, Dexter said: “As an activist I find Mxit to be a very democratic app.”
He explained the party intends to “not simply to use it (the app) to promote the ANC. Far more – it is about getting them involved in debate, registering to vote and all the things… as opposed to the party’s political aspects”.
News, important dates and voter education will be supplied through the app.
The ANC is hoping for higher engagement, providing a space for the public to voice concerns or give feedback. Engagement is aimed at vote acquisition and building the party beyond the 2014 elections.
“The launch of the MyANCWC application heralds a new era in using social media and technology to mobilise voters, educate them and get them to register and vote,” the ANC said.
Currently aimed at South Africans residing in the Western Province, Dexter hopes the national body will follow suit and also roll out provincial-focused apps for the other eight provinces in the country.
The new app venture “excites” the ANC, the party said in its presentation .
HumanIPO reported earlier this year on Mxit’s encouragement of app building.
