Motivated by a week of productive build-up activities, African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa will present his party’s election platform at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
KwaZulu-Natal welcomed him and his party with open arms after they organized several activities to hype up the Mayihlome Rally, which serves as the kickoff for the ANC’s campaign for reelection when the nation goes to bed on May 29.
In KZN, Ramaphosa will present the manifesto of his party
Ramaphosa moved the battle indoors, where his adversary, former president Jacob Zuma, was canvassing against the ANC and even supporting the recently formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party splinter group. Encouraged by a series of triumphant build-up events this week, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will present his party’s election platform at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Saturday.
After hosting multiple events to hype up the Mayihlome Rally, which launches the ANC’s campaign for reelection when the nation goes to elections on May 29, he and his party were well-received in KwaZulu-Natal. Ramaphosa moved the battle indoors, where his adversary, former president Jacob Zuma, was canvassing against the ANC and even supporting the recently formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party splinter group.
Although it was unclear how KwaZulu-Natal would welcome Ramaphosa, the events of the past week have given him more confidence. So much so that, on Friday night at an ANC function called “An evening with Ramaphosa,” he raised a spear on stage and yelled, “Mayihlome [let’s attack],” telling his enemies that the fight had officially begun.
Referring to himself as the “real commander in chief,” Ramaphosa appeared to be disparaging Julius Malema, the leader of the EFF.
“Tintswalos” shared stories at this gathering about how, during the previous 30 years, the ANC government has impacted and improved their lives.
Testimonies from young women pilots and young air traffic controllers were shining odes to the administration led by the African National Congress. Ramaphosa was greeted warmly by the residents when he went on a walkabout at the Umlazi Mega City mall earlier.
As he walked around, the people sang, “uRamaphosa uyamthanda umahlalela, uvele a mnike uR350 (Ramaphosa loves/takes care of the unemployed, he gives them R350)” throughout the mall. Local shoppers and ANC fans found resonance in the famous song “Phakama Ramaphosa, ixesha lifikile (stand up Ramaphosa, the time/your time has arrived)” as they displayed posters and donned party T-shirts featuring his image.
Ramaphosa felt so confident that he approached and greeted local commuters at a taxi station. When asked about the response he and the ANC got, Ramaphosa said it was evident KwaZulu-Natal people were happy with the progress the ANC had made over the years.
“I’m incredibly happy to be here in KZN; the people here have welcomed the ANC with more than warmth. It’s about acknowledging the part the ANC has played and will continue to play, and the support for the ANC is palpable, the speaker remarked.
“Therefore, I believe the ANC is poised to take the province by storm throughout.”
Ramaphosa stated that during his and party leaders’ stay in the province, he had not noticed any tendency toward tribalism.
“In my opinion, tribalism is not even a factor in this process. The variety of the province of KZN contributes significantly to the province’s participation in South Africa as a whole. The people of KZN are an integral part of South Africa and the wonderful nation we are building.
“We are a very diverse country, but we are one nation, and we should all be proud to be South Africans first and then say, ‘Yes, I speak Venda, and somebody else speaks Zulu,’ and that’s the beauty of what we should see in all of us as South Africans,” stated the statement.
President Cyril Ramaphosa Releases the Election Manifesto of ANC
About an hour before President Cyril Ramaphosa was due to deliver the ANC’s election manifesto on Saturday, the Moses Mabhida stadium was packed. Thousands of party members are assembling at the Durban stadium, which has 56,000 seats. An overflow space has been created for additional supporters in the nearby People’s Park.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the party’s former president Jacob Zuma, who currently heads an opposition party, has also been trying to win support there, the party is releasing its manifesto. During the event, some ANC supporters showed their disapproval of Zuma by singing anti-Zuma songs and holding signs that read “RIP ZUMA.”
Senzo Mchunu, a senior ANC official and minister of water and sanitation, stated that the party will publish its promises in response to public feedback. Mchunu said it was crucial for the party for supporters to come out in numbers because the ANC “is not an organisation of leaders but the people”.
The African National Congress (ANC) stated on Friday that its manifesto will offer South Africa a path ahead, maintaining and enhancing the nation’s democratic successes.
Leave a Reply