Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile and an entourage of police, security officials and African National Congress (ANC) volunteers blazed a trail through Alexandra, Johannesburg, on Tuesday in a last-minute bid for votes.
”It is important at the end of the campaign to remind people to vote for the ANC,” Mashatile said.
The group moved quickly through the streets of the township, speaking to residents, urging them to vote for the ANC on Wednesday.
As Mashatile, sporting a bright yellow windbreaker with the words ”ANC Volunteer” emblazoned on the back, walked the streets, he was trailed by three police cars, four black BMWs and another three vehicles driven by ANC volunteers.
Many residents approached the premier to complain about their problems.
One elderly man said the city had damaged his house while repairing a sink hole. It had still not been fixed, he said.
However, local ward councillor Billy Madungandaba refuted the man’s complaint, saying the council had offered to repair the house. However, the man had wanted to repair the house himself, so the council gave him money to make repairs.
”But he ate the money,” said Madungandaba.
A local South African Communist Party member Harry Motloutsi, campaigning alongside Mashatile, told the premier that housing was a major concern for residents. He blamed local ward councillors for this.
”The guys who are responsible in my opinion are not good delivery people,” said Motloutsi.
He said it was too early to tell whether Mashatile was improving the situation as he had only recently become premier.
”We’ll see what he’ll do.”
As Mashatile continued to make his way up the narrow streets of Alexandra with his entourage, he paused to smile and hand out fliers to a group of men standing outside a spaza shop. He shook
their hands and greeted them before quickly moving on.
”Not bad, not good,” said Casper Ndaba when Mashatile and the last ANC volunteer were out of earshot. His friends joined him in his laughter.
”At least we can see them [the leaders]. If they could do that on the service delivery it would be much better,” he said as the others nodded ruefully.
Ndaba said housing was the worst service delivery problem. He accused the housing department of ineptitude and inequitable distribution.
”It depends on who you are. It’s who you know in the department,” he said.
Despite his dissatisfaction with service delivery, as well as his cynical view of Mashatile’s visit, Ndaba still intended voting for the ANC.
”Opposition parties are… eish. So far the ANC deserves it,” he said.
Other residents were not so understanding. Some had threatened to boycott the elections due to a lack of housing. They said they would only cast their vote after houses were delivered.
Despite this Mashatile remained confident the ruling party would triumph in the elections.
”People are always going to complain about one thing or another and say they are not going to vote. I am confident that we will have close to 100% turnout in Alex,” he said. — Sapa