ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa made an impassioned plea to thousands of supporters on Saturday to give the ruling party yet another chance, promising to do better, and quicker.
“We are asking you to make a clear choice for unity and progress and to reject the social and political forces that are working hard to undermine the gains of freedom made over the last three decades …
“We will do better, we will do more, and we will do it faster. Together,” Ramaphosa said.
He was speaking at the party’s final Siyanqoba campaign rally held at FNB stadium in Johannesburg ahead of the general elections on Wednesday, May 29.
Around 27 million registered voters are expected to cast their votes for a new government in an election which will see the inclusion of independent candidates vying for political power for the first time in the history of South Africa.
Another first for the country will be the three ballot system which was partly necessitated by the introduction of independent candidates. Ramaphosa pleaded with supporters to cast an X right next to his “handsome” face.
“When you get there [ballot paper], look for a handsome face and vote for him, not the ugly ones. Look out for a handsome guy like me. Let’s go out there and make sure that there is one bull in the kraal. There are many who don’t want us to come back but we will show them on Wednesday.
“Let’s go and show them who we are. I have given strict instructions that Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal must give us 70%…” Ramaphosa said.
The party is hoping to retain its majority by increasing its voter share in rural provinces, given that forecasts show it will lose support in Gauteng and KwaZulul-Natal, the provinces with the biggest population of registered voters.
The two provinces are where the ANC is most vulnerable, with polls suggesting the party’s support will probably dip below 50% – with the emergence of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party which is a brainchild of the ANC’s former president Jacob Zuma.
At the stadium, some ANC supporters appeared to be in pain over MK’s emergence – as they carried placards written, “Zuma is a small boy” and others wrote, “Rest in peace MK party”, some took it as far as hoisting a coffin written “RIP Zuma.”
Should the ANC be voted back into power, it will endeavour to implement a jobs plan to put more South Africans to work, it will build industries and invest in an inclusive economy, Ramphosa said.
The country’s unemployment rate recently rose to approximately 32.1%, Ramaphosa said this was evident throughout the party’s campaigns. “It was particularly painful to meet young people who are struggling to find employment. I was extremely touched by their determination to carry on even after being disappointed time and again,” he said
“Our jobs plan aims to address their needs. For these young people, and for the many unemployed people in the country, we will create and sustain work opportunities delivering public goods and services in communities,” Ramaphosa said.
In another bid to tackle unemployment, Ramaphosa said the ANC would create a conducive environment for industries that employ many people including agriculture, tourism, mining, clothing, food and beverages, and steel.
“We will also support new industries like new energy vehicles, renewable energy, and information and technology. [The ANC] will undertake a balanced just transition to a cleaner, greener future that will lead to new jobs and make our exports more competitive,” said Ramaphosa.
During his speech, Ramaphosa said while on the campaign trail, South Africans told him that they wanted the R350 grant increased to R700, this was to the loud cheers of the crowd which quickly dampened among many as he said the government would in the immediate future increase it to R370.
With many people still unemployed, the ANC would continue to provide income support to those who needed it the most. “We will maintain the existing social grants, which have been so important in reducing poverty and providing poor children with opportunity,” he said.
“At the same time, we will also implement a basic income support grant for employed people based on the SRD [Social Relief of Distress] grant.”
Ramaphosa also took a swipe at the Democratic Alliance’s controversial burning flag political advertisement which he said was aimed at reversing the gains of democracy.
“We will not allow parties who yearn for the apartheid past to undermine the Constitution to protect the privileges of a few. We will not allow those who burn the flag of the democratic South Africa to reverse the achievements of our democracy,” he said.
