President Cyril Ramaphosa took the ANC’s 2019 election campaign to Thembisa township in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, on Friday.
The president, accompanied by Gauteng premier David Makhura, ANC head of elections Fikile Mbalula and other senior party members engaged with community members from on Friday morning on service delivery related issues and also assessed the state of public health in the area.
Ekuruleni is one of the areas where ANC lost some ground during the 2016 local government elections.
Hundreds of community members joined the president and senior party members for a morning walk during his Thuma Mina campaign launch. Ramaphosa hailed hose who joined the walk.
“One of the advantages of doing this type of walk is that it gives me the opportunity as the president to talk to our people as I walk and as we take selfies. As we were walking one lady told me that she saw us to television and decided to put on her gown and join us. Even young children who are going to school joined us as well as those who were going to work. We want to thank you for being part of this wonderful walk.”
The President did not waste time advancing his agenda of a new dawn in South Africa following his election as the ANC leader during the 54th national conference in December.
He says he is working around the clock to improve the current conditions in the country.
“We are going to work like Nelson Mandela, we are going to work like Albertina Sisulu. We are going to be dedicated and committed to serving our people and where things are not working, we are going to make sure that we put them right. The ANC is back, the ANC is strong, the ANC is powerful and the ANC is looking forward to winning next year’s elections. And to those who think e will not win we say wake up and smell the coffee.”
President Ramaphosa visited the resident of Duduza and Tswelopele informal settlements where the community live in conditions of squalor, characterized by lack of basic services such as electricity, housing and water. Joblessness is also one of the major problems facing the community. The president has promised to intervene in this regard.
“When I look around I see your suffering and I can see that life is difficult for you and as the president this does not make happy at all,” he said.
The president then proceeded to Thembisa hospital where he received a hero’s welcome. There he assessed the state of public health in the facility and also interacted with the staff. Some of the staff members told the SABC News that they are working under difficult conditions.
“We are asking Ramaphosa to increase the capacity of this hospital and build more wards. We as workers do not qualify for RDP house and we are working hard but under paid. We are saying to him he should ensure that we get salary increases. 2 There is a shortage of nurses. Most nurses are working as porters and porters are doing something else that they are not trained for. There are many problems in this hospital.”
Ramaphosa also visited a home for the disabled children where he handed over agricultural implements gardening purpose. He also handed over tittle deeds to local residents.
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