The ANC always proves people wrong- Cyril Ramaphosa
"The election has to take place in 2024 and will be meeting with every stakeholder including IEC. The election date will be set.”
The African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is confident that the governing party will regain lost ground and do well at the general elections in 2024.
Ramaphosa kicked off an extensive voter registration weekend programme in Meadowlands Zone 10, Soweto where he visited Thembalethu Primary School voting district (VD) before embarking on a door-to-door campaign in the area.
Ramaphosa shared his confidence in the party’s performance at the polls, despite the party dipping below 50 percent in local government elections in 2021, settling with 46% of the votes share.
This was the worst election results for the ruling party since the dawn of democracy, resulting in the party losing power and having to form coalitions to govern key metropolitan areas.
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On a national scale, the ruling party lost a majority in a number of regions.
“We are very confident, meeting our volunteers and the people who are on our campaigns right from the province to the regions and the zones and the voting district,” he said addressing the media, before making his way into the voting station.
“People are gathering the momentum and are beginning to get a sense that an election is around the corner.
“We are going to work hard, reach out to our people, and today we are here because we want more and more people to register and vote for any party but we as the ANC are confident of the victory not only in Gauteng but throughout the country.”
Ramaohosa who was flanked by the Parliamentary party’s chief whip, Pemmy Majodina and Gauteng Premier said while there has been no official word on the election date, they will be a meeting with the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders.
“As the president of the Republic, in time I will make that pronouncement. That is part of the protocol, and the process.
“The election has to take place in 2024 and will be meeting with every stakeholder including IEC. The election date will be set.”
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The VD, which has 2998 registered voters, was affected during the December 2022 heavy rains linked to challenges of storm water drainage, persistent electricity challenges which also affected Sinqobile Clinic and crime.
Residents raised these issues to the president as he embarked on a door- to- campaign.
Dozens of residents who came out to see the president had mixed reactions to his visit.
“We see the president is here today but what change will it bring? I don’t see why the elderly people are so excited because the same promises are made but things will remain the same.
“What has the current administration done that we can applaud? I will be keeping my vote,” a frustrated Thapelo Majola told Urban News.
Meanwhile Evelyn Ndlovu, ululated celebrating the ANC president’s arrival in Meadowlands. She praised President Ramaphosa, citing the pensioner grant and SRD grant for her unemployed children was a great relief to her family.
“We are happy to get a visit from our president. We love him because he makes sure that as gogos we are taken care of. This is our president, it is because of him that we never go to bed hungry, we love him and the ANC,” Ndlovu proclaimed.
