Durban - Abahlali baseMjondolo leader S’bu Zikode and the DA’s youth leader, Mbali Ntuli, walked into the country’s most famous polling station together on Wednesday to cast their votes in a show of unity rich with symbolism.
They followed each other in separate cars before entering Ohlange High School in Inanda like old friends.
In 1994, Nelson Mandela cast his first vote at the school, which was founded by the ANC’s first president, John Langalibalele Dube.
The DA and Abahlali last week signed a memorandum of understanding with the shack dwellers’ movement promising to throw its weight behind the DA in exchange for “firm and legally binding commitments” from the party.
Zikode on Wednesday said he had visited seven voting stations around Durban to encourage his members to also vote for the DA.
Zikode, who had led numerous protests by informal settlement dwellers over the nondelivery of services by the ANC government, said he does not hate the ruling party, but by voting for the DA, “it’s telling them what they(ANC) are doing is not right”.
“I liked the organisation and I won’t lie, we have been voting for the party (in the past). It’s a reminder that the ANC would not remain unchallenged. It’s a moment to punish those gangsters who are corrupt and doing whatever they want to do,” said Zikode.
Zikode said life for shack dwellers was going to change.
Ntuli said she had flown from Johannesburg to cast her vote in ward 57, Inanda, where she comes from and has previously campaigned.
She also wanted to honour the spirit of Mandela and contribute to legacy.
She said Abahlali, with its estimated 35 000 members, mainly in Durban informal settlements, would strengthen the DA.
In the “legally binding commitments” signed by both parties in a memorandum, the DA had agreed to oppose illegal evictions and guarantee that all people in shack settlements would be given services while waiting for housing, among other promises.