The Democratic Alliance's (DA's) campaign strategy could jeopardise its own chances of its envisioned coalition government with smaller parties, according to Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa.

The DA released a radio advertisement in which it advised voters not to vote for smaller parties because their votes would be wasted.

"The only warning I would want to give to the DA is to stop this very childlike mentality of saying if you do not vote for the ANC [African National Congress], EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters], or DA, then it's a wasted vote. It is those so-called votes that got them a co-operation government in the City of Johannesburg.

"They are not covering themselves in any honour. The essence of a multi-party democracy is to give space and voice to every voice. Why should any of us be entering into coalitions with people who are saying our votes are wasted?"

The advertisement received widespread criticism from smaller parties which are already in coalition with the DA in some municipalities.

Voter turnout

Hlengwa's warning came after the South African Institute for Race Relations (IRR) released its last poll on Monday.

It predicts that two of the ANC's key provinces - KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng - could be hung.

IRR head of politics Gareth van Onselen said Gauteng was most likely to be a hung province unless there was a late surge in favour of the ANC in both provinces.

The IRR predicts the governing party should not receive anything more than 53% nationally although this could change depending on campaigning over the four days since May 4, voter turnout and the survey's margin.

This is based on a voter turnout of 70%.

The DA is predicted to make a steady growth of 24% nationally and the EFF is not expected to be far behind with 14% growth, Van Onselen added.

Hlengwa said the IFP intended to weigh and assess the circumstances.

"We are going to look at whose presenting the best offer possible... We need to create a conducive and enabling environment now for those talks now by interacting cordially with one another."

The DA, he said, had failed to do so.

"They have not covered themselves in glory, but this is not to say we are writing the DA off."