Chris Gillli|Published
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has urged supporters in eMfuleni to turn out in large numbers in the upcoming local government elections, as the party seeks to regain control of Cape Town and challenge the DA’s dominance in the Western Cape.
Addressing about 300 volunteers at the Zolile Malindi Centre on Saturday, 17 October, Ramaphosa was on a two-day campaign trail in the province, where the ANC has struggled to grow its support.
“We must go out in our numbers and dethrone the current government in Cape Town. We need to turn it around. We want people to remember that the ANC has done so much for our people. Cape Town is actually a tale of two cities. Where one city is well taken care of while the other is neglected. If the ANC gets into government we will change that,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa calls for early voting
He urged supporters to wake up early on election day to cast their votes.
“Other parties win their elections because of the early hours of voting. Others win with the special votes two days before the elections. Even though the ANC still fails here and there, we are aware that our people still love our party,” Ramaphosa said.
He also accused the Western Cape provincial government of failing residents, saying it had returned R680 million allocated by the Treasury for housing developments.
“These are some of the reasons that should push you to vote for the ANC and turn Cape Town around,” he added.
ANC highlights unemployment crisis
Ramaphosa also stressed the country’s unemployment crisis, saying the ANC government was pushing for the employment age to be extended beyond the 18-35 years cap.
ANC eyes possible DA coalition in Western Cape
ANC head of elections Mdumiseni Ntuli admitted that the party had lost a significant support base in the Western Cape following the 2006 local government elections.
“Since then we have been on a steady decline as the ANC. But what we are sensing from the by-elections is that we are getting back the supporters we lost. We may not win the City, but we stand a good chance to drop the support of the Democratic Alliance significantly. To the extent that the City might end up being led by a coalition government. That is not something we desire, but it would be a step in the right direction,” Ntuli said.
Ntuli told IOL Media that eMfuleni was a classic example of the “tale of two cities”.
“Where the majority lives, they are living side by side with abject poverty. Terrible and desperate living conditions. As opposed to what happens when you go to affluent areas. Issues that our people are facing here do not necessarily reside with the national government. They are the responsibility of the Metro,” Ntuli said.
He said he understood that some people in the Western Cape might be unhappy with the conduct and performance of ANC councillors.
“We will respond to that. I hope the candidate we have selected to lead here now will behave differently. That they will reinforce the confidence of the population to the ANC,” Ntuli said.
ANC supporters voice frustration over living conditions
Despite the party’s campaign efforts, some supporters who spoke to IOL expressed disappointment with the ANC and said they had lost hope.
“We have lost all hope. The ANC has failed to look after the people. But we will still vote for the ANC. All the ANC presidents have come here in the past and our situation remains the same. We don't know what the future holds for our children.
“We want a better life. People here are unemployed and our living conditions are bad. Crime is too much in our community, we cannot move freely,” said Norman Notiki, an ANC supporter and eMfuleni resident.
Veliswa Tsipa, an unemployed mother, said she did not believe Ramaphosa’s visit to the community would change anything.
“He is here to preach what they have always preached. They just want to give us hope to hold onto. We love the ANC, but corruption has taken over and we can't look past that. Our leaders are eating alone and have forgotten about us on the ground. They just want our votes to stay in power. We want them to lead us, but we are undermined,” Tsipa said.