By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is confident of the African National Congress (ANC) victory in the forthcoming general elections scheduled for May 29.
Ramaphosa spoke to the community of Soweto after a walkabout in Vilakazi Street on Friday afternoon.
He said, having to engage with people in Vilakazi Street was a significant moment as it was reminiscent of the past and of the two liberation veterans who lived in the same street being the late former president, Nelson Mandela, and the late archbishop Desmond Tutu.
“I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and walking almost five kilometres was most invigorating and also being able to walk here around Vilakazi Street,” Ramaphosa said.
“Being here has been quite a booster and it has boosted my own sense of the victory that we are going to achieve on the 29th. And the response of the people here is also indicative of how the ANC is going to perform in these elections.”
Ramaphosa added that the Siyanqoba rally would only signify and prove to opposition parties the ANC’s strength and relevant support base across SA’s nine provinces.
Major political parties will this weekend hold campaigns in their respective final rallies to showcase their strength ahead of the elections.
Ramaphosa later went to the Siyanqoba Pre-Endorsement Gala Dinner in Sandton, Johannesburg.
He thanked party members, including the country’s former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka along with endorsers, for their various contributions to make the ANC a strong party.
One of the party’s endorsers and business leader, Smangele Nkosi, says the ANC has made it possible for thousands of young business owners to prosper.
“Since apartheid the ANC has been instrumental in implementing policies aimed at addressing historical inequalities. This includes significant investment, housing, healthcare, education as well as land. The ANC has implemented policies to stabilise and grow the SA economy… well we have mixed results but the economy has grown. We acknowledge that there are some inefficiencies but only the ANC can take SA forward, “said Nkosi.
The ANC has won every South African election since the first post-apartheid contest in 1994.
Ramaphosa further thanked the ANC structure as well as the alliance partners for intensifying their efforts to win the elections.
“I want to take this moment to thank ANC leaders at the national, provincial, and regional level, including former leaders such as President Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, Baleka Mbete, David Mabuza, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Mathews Phosa, and many others who joined in the campaign to ensure an ANC victory,” he said.