The newly-formed political party, Defenders of the People (DOP), is confident that the lives of poor communities will improve should they win in the municipal elections. Party President, Rufus Mphahlele, took his election campaign to Khureng village outside Zebediela in Limpopo, today.

A planned door-to-door campaign in the village was disrupted by heavy downpours and has been postponed to Saturday.

Mphahlele led party supporters in song, reiterating that they will not be deterred by the heavy rains. The party is confident that it will take control of the Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality.

They say the area is currently neglected, with roads in very bad condition. The DOP is contesting elections in five provinces;  Gauteng, the North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Limpopo. In Limpopo, it is contesting in all municipalities located in the Sekhukhune, Capricorn and Waterberg districts.

Mphahlele says they want to improve the lives of communities.

“We want to make sure that they get proper roads, they get service delivery because we have realised that the municipality doesn’t care about our people here, people are poor, there is no water here. So, as DOP we want to deal with what is happening here, we want to deal with hunger and lack of services here.”

DOP campaigns in Zebediela: 

Party supporter Pheladi Maleka says although the party was only founded a year ago, it has a proven track record in the area.

“ It is a party that is from this area, it’s coming from Lepelle Nkumpi and it knows about the problems that we have. I think it will help us, they dig a borehole for a community, they’re drinking water now.”

Another resident, Audrey Phaahla, says they have disabled people who did not have wheelchairs and the DOP has provided them with that. “Food parcels, during the winter season they helped people with blankets.”

The DOP will revisit Khureng village for a door-to-door campaign on Saturday.