ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba believes the Multi-Party Charter is an insurance policy should the party's election results in 2024 not get it over the 50% mark to ascend to national power.

On Monday, Mashaba spoke to journalists in Cape Town at a luncheon to discuss ActionSA's election prospects and the challenges ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Mashaba, who spoke frankly, said the Multi-Party Charter was viewed as insurance for the party.

"Why is it an insurance? We are not going to contest not to win. Everything I do in life, I do it to win.

"Obviously, we understand that South Africa has entered the era of coalitions. We accept and embrace that. So, this for in case we don't get [an outright majority] that is why we have the Multiparty Charter of people who are better devils," he added.

Seven parties - the DA, IFP, ActionSA, FF Plus, Isanco, UIM, and Spectrum National Party - agreed earlier this year to form a pact to unseat the ANC in 2024.

At its conference, held in Johannesburg, election projections were presented, and the fundamental dilemma identified for the coalition, named the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, was it would fail to achieve a 51% majority in next year's general elections.

Estimations are the alliance needs between eight and 10% more support - perhaps, even more than that - to achieve the required 51% majority.

In August, News24 reported the Patriotic Alliance (PA), largely sidelined from coalition talks for a moonshot pact, may have an avenue to join the seven-party grouping at a later stage after the Multiparty Charter agreed to broaden its alliance.

The PA had initially joined coalition governments formed at a local government level with the DA, ActionSA, ACDP and other parties in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

But PA leader Gayton McKenzie and his deputy, Kenny Kunene, later pulled the party out of the coalitions and formed a relationship with the ANC and EFF instead.

Asked about Mashaba's comments, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the Multi-Party Charter remained South Africa's clearest path to unseat the ANC and usher in a new majority and new multiparty government.

"The DA is absolutely committed to working towards making this a success.  

"The best 'insurance policy' against ANC domination is the success of the MPC [Multiparty Charter], which is why more parties are joining.

"If the MPC is to succeed, signatories to the charter should do all in their power to make it a success," Steenhuisen said.

FF Plus parliamentary chief whip Corne Mulder said he took part in a debate where Mashaba repeated the "insurance policy" Multiparty Charter.

The debate took place in Potchefstroom.

"He [Mashaba] said ActionSA is going full steam ahead and working to win the election.

"They want the majority of people to vote for them and that is their first prize, to win the election and govern the country.

"I think other parties also have that approach to win the election on their own. I think all parties know that no party will on its own win the election. Not the ANC and no other party.

"That is why coalitions are a reality and it would be good if all parties realise this," Mulder said.