President Cyril Ramaphosa says the election campaign ahead of the anticipated 2024 national and provincial elections is now over.
2024 public opinion poll
Ramaphosa on Saturday was on the campaign trail in KwaDukuza on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal in his capacity as president of the African National Congress (ANC).
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The President launched a voter registration campaign and also attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the resting place of the late ANC President, Albert Luthuli.
Ramaphosa encouraged the people of KwaDukuza to register their numbers and vote for their governing party next year.
He said, unlike other political parties, the ANC is only a hope for a better life.
“Support the ANC. The election campaign has started now,” said Ramaphosa, speaking in isiZulu.
He added: “Many others will come to you, not knowing what they are talking about… They think they will remove the ANC from power and take control.
“Others use it [red] overalls, while others wear blue. We are telling you that it will not happen because the people of KwaDukuza, and other parts of the country, love the ANC.
ANC election promises
Ramaphosa made various promises to citizens ranging from creating jobs, providing government subsidized housing, and ending the load shedding crisis.
“As the ANC, we are committed to ensuring that the hardships you are experiencing as citizens are addressed. We understand that there are no jobs and you want jobs; the ANC will create jobs for you.
“We know that another challenge you face is water. We will also attend to that.
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“The problem of lack of electricity is another major problem than all other problems today.
“I have appointed a new electricity minister, Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who is gripped with the issue of load shedding…
Fund R350
Ramaphosa also brought a social assistance grant (SRD) of R350. He said the government is committed to continuing the grants given during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“Now we can see that many people are out of work and many have lost their jobs during the pandemic. This grant of R350 will continue this year.
Ramaphosa also responded to criticism that his reconfigured Cabinet, announced on Monday, was bloated despite repeated promises in the past to reduce the size of the national executive.
He told the media on the sidelines of the campaign that the appointment of new ministers – such as the minister of electricity as well as the minister of planning, monitoring and evaluation – was a temporary measure.
South Africa is in a ‘rut’
The president said South Africa was in a “rut” and he needed all hands on deck to tackle the country’s socio-economic challenges.
“What we’re doing now is short-term and limited [and] the process takes us out of this rut. Now we are in a rut, we need to get out and I need another hand that will allow me to do that,” he said.
“Of course, the opposition is against this, but we have to govern.
“I have a responsibility as president to ensure that the ANC rules and governs in a way that will take the country forward.”
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