May 7 will see South Africa's most closely-fought election since the fall of apartheid, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday after President Jacob Zuma announced the poll date.
"We stand ready to fight the closest election in the history of democratic South Africa," Zille said, adding that employment would be the central issue of the campaign.
"This will be the jobs election. On 7th May, voters will have the opportunity to decide which party has the policies and the political will to cut corruption and create jobs."
She said the DA's election manifesto, which would be launched in Polokwane in a fortnight, would set out the party's vision of creating six million jobs by growing the economy at eight percent over the next decade.
"We will make this election a battle of ideas; even as our opponents cling to the outdated politics of racial mobilisation.
"We can make history in this election. We can put the politics of the past behind us and move boldly towards the South Africa we dreamed of in 1994," Zille said.
Earlier, the African National Congress welcomed Zuma's announcement of the date.
"As the ANC, we are particularly proud that the democracy that we fought so hard for, side by side with our people, continues to be strengthened and exercised through the holding of regular elections," ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.
Mthembu called on people who had not yet registered to vote in the general elections to register this weekend.
"The ANC implores particularly young people to come out in their numbers to define the type of future they want to see," he said.
Election to be closest since end of apartheid: Zille
May 7 will see South Africa's most closely-fought election since the fall of apartheid, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday after President Jacob Zuma announced the poll date.
"We stand ready to fight the closest election in the history of democratic South Africa," Zille said, adding that employment would be the central issue of the campaign.
"This will be the jobs election. On 7th May, voters will have the opportunity to decide which party has the policies and the political will to cut corruption and create jobs."
She said the DA's election manifesto, which would be launched in Polokwane in a fortnight, would set out the party's vision of creating six million jobs by growing the economy at eight percent over the next decade.
"We will make this election a battle of ideas; even as our opponents cling to the outdated politics of racial mobilisation.
"We can make history in this election. We can put the politics of the past behind us and move boldly towards the South Africa we dreamed of in 1994," Zille said.
Earlier, the African National Congress welcomed Zuma's announcement of the date.
"As the ANC, we are particularly proud that the democracy that we fought so hard for, side by side with our people, continues to be strengthened and exercised through the holding of regular elections," ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.
Mthembu called on people who had not yet registered to vote in the general elections to register this weekend.
"The ANC implores particularly young people to come out in their numbers to define the type of future they want to see," he said.