Cape Town - Political parties are pulling out all their big guns this weekend in a last-ditch attempt to woo voters ahead of Monday’s local government elections.
DA mayoral candidate for Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis will be joined at his final rally in Cravenby, Elsies River, by party leader John Steenhuisen, DA national spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube, and provincial and local leadership.
“I’m really looking forward to that. It’s going to be a big party where we thank activists for the hard work already done, and get revved-up for the final days.
“Over the weekend I will be touring around the whole city with our campaign bus, visiting some voting stations, and I’ll also spend some time calling voters from our call centre in Athlone.
“My parting shot to voters is not to let the weather on Monday dampen their spirits,” said Hill-Lewis.
Like in the rest of Cape Town, the DA painted Khayelitsha blue today! Be part of securing Cape Town’s future by voting DA on Monday.#GHLforMayor #VoteDA pic.twitter.com/zIMMFqJtkf
— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 28, 2021
The ANC in the province has also roped-in its big guns with treasurer general Paul Mashatile set to lead door-to-door canvassing, walkabouts and community meetings with candidates in Philippi, Khayelitsha, Dorenbach 5 and Dunoon today.
Western Cape ANC elections deputy head Nomi Nkondlo listed the party’s 10 priorities for the City, which include reversing apartheid spatial planning and focusing on safety for women and children.
“We are asking the people of Cape Town to give the ANC a mandate to govern, especially given the fact that the areas where African, coloured and Indian residents live are neglected and have not seen any significant improvement in the last 15 years.
“These are not promises but commitments we make to all the people of Cape Town,'' said Nkondlo.
ANC Eldership senza esidume ngazo to declare our Vote for ANC pic.twitter.com/fp76b26OXf
— Nomi Nkondlo (@NkondloN) October 29, 2021
While Good Party leader Patricia de Lille spent Thursday campaigning in Nelson Mandela Bay, she will be back in Cape Town to vote on Monday in Pinelands.
Good Party mayoral candidate Brett Herron said: “Both the ANC and the DA have recently conceded, in their own ways, that they haven’t done enough to retain the support of their voters and are looking to post-election coalitions to cling to what remains of their diminishing power.”
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is ready for a @ForGoodZA Fix! GOOD is not a small party, it is a GROWING party and we have a plan to #FIXSouthAfrica. #GOODMyHood #VoteForGood @PatriciaDeLille pic.twitter.com/KYcWPatTPU
— GOOD (@ForGoodZA) October 28, 2021
Al Jama-ah’s mayoral candidate Ganief Hendriks said he would be using advertising slots in community and daily newspapers to rouse voters.
He also has four slots a day until Monday on two Muslim community radio stations and one Muslim TV station and he will be distributing pamphlets at 150 mosques.
Meet our candidates pic.twitter.com/1UMaKxikzT
— Al Jama-ah (@Aljama_ah) October 27, 2021
With regards to security arrangements in the City, Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said that numerous departments within the City’s safety and security directorate were participating in the SAPS-led safety plans.
“For operational reasons, we cannot divulge details of deployment. That said, staff will assist with patrols in the general vicinity of voting stations and assist with responses to any incidents or issues that may arise,” said Smith.
During an online media briefing by the IEC on the province’s state of readiness, provincial electoral officer Michael Hendrickse said load shedding would not affect IEC officials conducting the special vote.
“You do not need any electrical devices for the special vote and our teams are self-sufficient,” he said.
As voters weigh their decisions for the voting booth on Monday, in the Western Cape they will also have to contend with the weather.
The South African Weather Service said while overall weather conditions were expected to be mostly sunny, with warm to hot temperatures, in the Western Cape it would be “cloudy and cool in the west with showers along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and warm.”