The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by Julius Malema has appealed to South Africans to give them votes in the hotly contested May 29 elections, arguing that the “red berets” have turned around the fortunes of the troubled Ekurhuleni municipality in Gauteng.
The party’s Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, who is also Speaker in Ekurhuleni addressed the IOL Elections Panel Discussion held at the Sandton Radisson Blu hotel in Johannesburg on Friday.
“The EFF is asking for your votes, just for the five years, not more that. We have demonstrated in the City of Ekurhuleni. It is the best run municipality in Gauteng and we have seen our people who are running the worst-run municipality in Gauteng claiming that we are not doing that,” she said.
“A vote for the EFF is a vote for land to be returned to its rightful owners. It is a vote for jobs to be available for all who qualify. It is a vote for restoration of energy which drives the economy.”
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont also canvassed for votes, saying his party is a new kid on the block and does not form part to “a failed political establishment for 30 years”.
“We are now contesting in all nine provinces and obviously right throughout Gauteng. We are going to be a serious force to be reckoned with here. We are led by somebody who has not just said he can do it, but he has actually done it. The best time in Joburg’s history was between 2016 and 2019 when Herman Mashaba was the mayor and we can implement those solutions from a Gauteng standpoint,” he said.
“ActionSA occupies the abandoned centre of South African politics. Political parties here have moved out, and the majority of South Africans in the centre have been left out.”
On the other hand, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Tasneem Motara, in her capacity as ANC Gauteng’s deputy secretary, said a vote for the ruling party means defending South Africa’s democracy and its gains.
“A vote for the ANC would mean defending our democracy and our democratic gains. Defending the human rights that we have, or benefited from,” she said.
“A vote for the ANC would mean an expansion of the services that have been extended to all South Africans, an increase in skills, an increase in professionals, an increase in expansion of the black middle-class that has benefited from the policies of the ANC.
“We would want that to expand to all South Africans,” said Motara.
IOL