48 Parties in South Africa battles for political positions in Upcoming Poll

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It's going to be a colorful election in the Rainbow Nation.

Whether you're a Leninite, a free-market capitalist, a right-winger, an outspoken lefty, a Shariah-law fundamentalist or just a dedicated pot smoker, South Africa's May 8 ballot spans the entire political spectrum, offering something for nearly every type of voter.

Forty-eight political parties are contesting this year’s national election, leaving voters spoiled for choice beyond the top three: the African National Congress, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters parties.

The smaller, newer parties have wildly different aims -- some, like the African Transformation Movement, are church-based and say their platform revolves around human rights. Others are aligned with more traditional political views, or have niche issues to push in national government.

But they all seem to share one thing: dissatisfaction with the political status quo. The head the ATM party, Vuyo Zungula, says they couldn’t get the change they wanted through partnership with the ruling ANC. So they started their own party, through the South African Council of Messianic Churches in Christ.

The party, Zungula says, is pro-gay-rights and doesn't want to change existing laws that allow abortion. Instead, he says, the party wants to show South Africans the meaning of service.