By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has encouraged the party’s elected councillor candidates to serve communities with dignity.
Ramaphosa was speaking on Saturday during his election campaign in the Vhembe District Municipality Chamber in Thohoyandou,Limpopo.
He first received a political briefing from provincial and local leadership ahead of the party’s elections campaign in the Thulamela sub-region.
He conducted a walk-about in ward 17 and held a community meeting by the sports ground.
He said the ANC of former President Nelson Mandela is giving grants to the needy, taking students to university through NSFAS.
“I am aware of the water problems that are being experienced in the province. That matter will be addressed. I am aware that there are also electricity problems.
“I am also aware that parents are worried about the high unemployment of their children. All of these problems the ANC is going to fix,” Ramaphosa said.
He encouraged people to vote in the November 1 polls.
“The ANC is the only party that I am encouraging you to vote for. I admit we have made mistakes but we are working on the renewal of the party. On the 1st of November please go out and vote for the ANC,”Ramaphosa said.
He said the candidates were not chosen at some ANC offices but they were elected by the people in their communities.
Meanwhile EFF leader Julius Malema is hopeful that his party will perform well in Cape Town. He’s addressed a large crowd gathered in Kraaifontein this afternoon.
Malema made his first stop at the Liberty Promenade mall where he was greeted by EFF management and supporters. After a brief visit, Malema then made his way to Kraafontein where he received a heroes welcome from hundreds of EFF supporters.
“In Kraafontein Malema indicated to his supporters that,” We are happy because the EFF in Cape Town is going to show Helen Zille flames.”
“We need to stop the DA in Cape Metro. They don’t want Black people. They got rid of Mazibuko, then Mmusi and then Van Damme.”
“Our people will never get decent houses from the DA. The EFF must take over so that we can provide our people with proper houses,” Malema said.
The “son of the soil” as he is known kicked off his Western Cape campaign on Thursday, October 21, where he also indicated to the community of Khayamnandi in Stellenbosch that should his party come to power they would expropriate land in the Western Cape.
Elsewhere the Democratic Alliance (DA) caused a massive upset in the 2016 local government elections when it walked away with 93 seats in Tshwane, beating the governing ANC, which only managed 89 seats.
The party leader John Steenhuisen threatened to cause another upset in neighbouring Johannesburg during the upcoming November 1 polls.
The party held its final election rally at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg where Steenhuisen addressed around 2000 supporters.
The DA leader didn’t shy away from claiming an early victory.
“Welcome, and thank you for coming out here today to Mary Fitzgerald Square in beautiful soon-to-be DA-run Johannesburg for the DA’s ‘Get Things Done’ rally – our final national rally before we go to the polls to vote next Monday.
“We still have just over a week left to reach even more people and persuade them to put their trust in the only party that has shown it has what it takes to save our towns and cities,” he said.