No jobs, no votes, Qwa-Qwa residents tell Ramaphosa

Thabo Mofutsanyane in Qwa-Qwa in the eastern Free State has officially become the battle ground for the heart and soul of the province.

Thabo Mofutsanyane is the biggest region in the province, therefore holds the biggest share of voters in the province.

This is evident as every political party in the province takes its election machinery to the region to try to convince voters in the area to vote for their respective parties.

The latest political party to deploy its heavyweights in the region was the ANC, which on Sunday deployed its sitting president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Prior to deploying its president, the party had deployed its Deputy President Paul Mashatile in a campaign strike in an effort to persuade residents to vote of the ANC.

However, Ramaphosa found it difficult to persuade every community member in Thaba Dimahloa, as it’s affectionately known. Some residents ‘The Star’ spoke with, said they won’t be voting for the party if they do not deliver on jobs promises.

Tsekiso Mofokeng, from Thaba Bosiu, told the publication that they were now used to this kind of treatment more especially during the build-up to the elections.

In February, Mofokeng said the opening of the Legislature was brought here, hoping that would sway them otherwise, but during the year they can’t find them anywhere.

“We have been without water for years, where were they? Former president David Mabuza was here telling us we are going to get water and electricity; he’s not here but the challenges that we faced are still here facing us.

“Now as the community we are saying no jobs no vote, we are tired of being made a fool of,” he exclaimed.

Mofokeng said their children were sitting at home without work whereas children of the “so-called” leaders were working and having the time of their lives.

“Our kids resort to drugs due to frustration and as parents there’s nothing that we can do to help our children. No amount of encouragement works to get them looking forward to the future.”

Addressing scores of party supporters, Ramaphosa said he was pleased to see many of his members had come to support the organisation, adding that their support should turn into votes.

He further said the support the party was receiving from the people was a sign that majority of South Africans still believed in the ANC.

“Our supporters turned out in their numbers and that obviously gives me a lot of confidence that in their own understanding that the ANC should continue to govern despite some of the weaknesses,” Ramaphosa said.

The ANC president said they would win the coming elections with a decisive victory as they celebrate 30 years of democracy.

This, he said, was due to the number of people who continue to support the ANC rallies and gatherings.

The region is highly contested and it’s been said that it’s the stronghold of the former SABC chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Motsoeneng hails from the region, and his organisation, African Content Movement (ACM), has seats in Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality.

Many residents are believed to have been sympathetic to Motsoeneng’s party as they have lost faith in the ANC and other political parties.

Motsoeneng was also in the region in Entabazwe in Harrismith campaigning for his party in an effort to garner more support and votes.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za