Home

Freedom Day bittersweet for N West residents

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Freedom Day marks 24 years since the first democratic election in 1994.  The African National Congress (ANC) was at the forefront of the war for liberation, and had a sweeping victory during that election, securing 62% of the votes that year.

However, political analysts say the current unrest in North West may hurt the ANC to such an extent that it cannot be assured of the majority of votes in 2019’s national elections.

Mafikeng residents were held hostage last week by furious protesters who torched property and looted shops, demanding that North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo, step down.

This is amid National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) strike over alleged corruption within the Provincial Health Department.

The ANC blames factions within the ruling party.

“It is a revolutionary war. There are two people who are fighting for power and it should be well noted. We can’t dispute that particular fact and, the issue that we have said … it is history in this particular province. Everytime after national conferences, people build conglomerations of disgruntled people who seemed to have been supporting a certain faction or a certain element. They will come to this particular province and demand regime change,” says Lerato Temee, PEC Convener at Dr Ruth Mompati District Municipality.

Opposition parties are also calling for Mahumapelo to step down.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane, says, “We stand with those who say Supra must go – because clearly, this province, not only is it beset with corruption… it is struggling to provide basic services. Every time I come to the North West, people don’t find work; people are not getting services, and it is becoming clear that this is a province that has become captured.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa cut short his visit to the UK short to meet the provincial ANC last week. However, the outcome left many disappointed.

“I believe that within the framework of the constitution, you will find grounds for the President of the country to act against the premier. But he’s not going that way. He’s going the ANC way. Mr Ramaphosa cannot afford to lose elements of the ANC. He needs a united ANC,” says Professor Andre Duvenhage.

North West residents have also expressed their dissatisfaction about the status quo in the province.

“What I see coming in the next elections, people will change their votes from ANC to other parties. So, obviously they will lose the votes,” says one of the residents.

Nationally, the support base of the ANC is around 50%.

Duvenhage warns that losing support in North West, may mean the difference between winning or losing in 2019.

Indecisiveness, he says, will cost them greatly.

“The ANC will take a knock. But there is still time to unify the ANC, and I think the timing is critical. Therefore, it is important to act sooner, rather than later. Consolidate, take the structures of the ANC, take the electoral processes on a district level, and get the ANC in shape because, at the moment, the ANC in the North West is by no means ready for the 2019 elections.”

The ANC held several follow-up meetings this week to discuss Mahumapelo’s fate.

 

Click below for more on Freedom Day: 

Author

MOST READ