Leaders of the four main political parties yesterday descended on various parts of Nquthu, in KwaZulu-Natal, as they made the final push for the hearts of voters ahead of Wednesday’s by-elections in the impoverished town.
President Jacob Zuma, for the ANC, and IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi addressed their respective parties’ massive rallies, each attracting no fewer than 10000 supporters in what was seen as a show of force by the two rivals battling for control of the town and the district it falls under.
EFF leader Julius Malema addressed smaller gatherings in wards 17 and 9, while several DA leaders, including provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango and MPLs Sizwe Mchunu and Masizole Mnqasela, held a motorcade through some wards.
While the real fight is be-
tween the ANC and IFP, the DA and EFF could swing the outcome of the election.
In the local government elections, the DA got two seats and the EFF only one.
At the various gatherings, these leaders took potshots at their political opponents, while delivering a bouquet of promises to Nquthu voters.
Zuma told supporters not to waste their votes on smaller parties that stood no chance of winning elections.
Buthelezi accused the ANC of collapsing the council so as to force the by-elections, while Malema promise residents of the drought-stricken town piped water.
The outcome of Wednesday’s election is likely to decide the balance of power in the uMzinyathi district, which is under administration.
The district council can be constituted only after the results of the local municipality’s by-election, which will determine which parties get representation at district level.
The Nquthu municipal council was dissolved earlier this year after the hung council failed on numerous occasions to elect its office-bearers, including the mayor and speaker.
“There are some people who were voted into Parliament but you cannot even hear what they say.
“There are also those who just go there to disrupt and make sure that Parliament cannot do its work. Why then should you vote for such people?” Zuma asked.
Urging supporters to come out in their numbers for the ANC on Wednesday, Zuma said it was time to “liberate” the town.
He said development had been slow in Nquthu because there had never been an outright winner in the council.
Buthelezi accused the ANC of not putting the needs of the people of Nquthu first, saying the ruling party was obsessed with scoring political points, which had jeopardised service delivery in the municipality.
“They (ANC) are so hell-bent on power that they are willing to cause hardship and suffering for the sake of scoring a political point,” Buthelezi told IFP supporters.
He also said the ANC was using food parcels to bribe voters. He told the people to accept these (food parcels), but to reject the bribe by voting with their conscience.
The charge was echoed by Malema, who addressed a significantly smaller gathering of about 1000 people in ward 17.
“I did not promise you food parcels and T-shirts because I do not buy votes Many people have been voting for free T-shirts since 1994 but there are no jobs, no water and no proper roads. Why can’t they (the ANC) save that money and use it to put in water pipes?”
Malema added that there was no reason why the poor should not have water when “Zuma’s cows are drinking from a R6million swimming pool”.