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ANC top six mobilising communities ahead of election manifesto launch

ANC's Deputy President David Mabuza.
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African National Congress’ (ANC) top six leaders have crisscrossed all corners of KwaZulu-Natal, mobilising communities ahead of the party’s anniversary celebration on Tuesday, and election manifesto launch on Saturday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, accompanied by party provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala have engaged with communities in Port Shepstone on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

The ANC’s Deputy President David Mabuza was in Newcastle, where he also encouraged people to take part in the series of ANC activities over the course of the week.

It was a hot and busy day for the ANC’s top six leaders as they braved a scorching sun, rubbing shoulders with ordinary community members, listening to their concerns ranging from backlogs in housing development to a lack of job opportunities.

Their message was not only about the planned series of ANC events, but also to encourage people to register to vote in the elections.

Ramaphosa started his day by visiting the Masinenge informal settlement outside Port Shepstone, where he witnessed the appalling living conditions people are living under. He also visited a housing development adjacent to the informal settlement.

There were mixed reactions from communities about service delivery in the area.

The President later addressed a mass meeting, where he committed the ANC-led government to grow the economy and create jobs.

Speaking about the party’s election manifesto to be launched on Saturday, Ramaphosa said the manifesto will take stock of the government’s performance, look at gaps where the government did not do well, and provide plans to deal with challenges facing South Africa.

“And we are going to continue doing that, and our manifesto is going to address that… how we can grow South Africa together. We are saying, together we will be able to grow South Africa, we will work together to make South Africa a better country on the continent, we will work together to grow our economy. This year is going to the real year of building jobs. As we celebrate the 107 birth of the ANC we will be setting out what task we have as the ANC, and on Saturday we will be setting our full task as the ANC and our manifesto, our plan for the country.”

In Newcastle in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC’s Deputy President David Mabuza committed the ANC to fight against corruption and doing its best to ensure unity in the organisation.

Mabuza also interacted with different communities and used the opportunity to garner support for the party ahead of this year’s general elections.

“I’m not going to encourage members of the ANC to fight, but remember the ANC has got the duty to fight corruption, it’s not like if we are fighting corruption we are fighting an individual that individual must fight back, no. We can’t allow corruption to be a mourning in our country otherwise it’s going to kill whatever we fought for.”

The ANC will celebrate its 107th anniversary in different parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with the main event being at the Ohlange School in Inanda north of Durban. This school was started by the first ANC President John Langlibalele Dube and is also where he was buried.

Authors – Vusi Makhosini and Fanele Mhlongo 

 

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