Johannesburg - ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday pleaded with residents of the City of Johannesburg to give the party another chance to govern the country’s economic hub.
Ramaphosa took his party’s campaign to Orange Farm, Soweto and Alexandra.
”We want our councillors to work for you,” he said.
The president promised that ANC councillors will not steal from public coffers.
ANC councillors have signed (a contract) to abandon corruption, according to Ramaphosa.
”We are serious about it,” Ramaphosa said.
Video: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
He admitted that there were problems in Alexandra and that the ANC did not want to take voters for granted.
”This is not a party of leaders but people,” he said.
Ramaphosa promised voters that the party’s candidates were not going to work for themselves but the community.
”When they get into office they will do one thing: work for the community. They are not going to work for themselves and steal money,” he said.
This past weekend, Ramaphosa said the ANC would select a mayor after getting the recommended three names.
”We are not going to be stupid in electing mayors. We sat him down and demanded that he explains to us and we listened,” he said, explaining the rationale for John Mpe replacing Thembi Nkadimeng as Polokwane mayor after Ramaphosa appointed her as deputy co-operative governance minister.
”We are going to ensure that we have knowledgeable mayors, the ones who are wise. We don’t want fools,” he said.
Ramaphosa continued: “We are not going to select mayors because they can sing, toyi toyi, because of who their parents are. We must get the best”
Video: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
The ANC has recommitted itself to doing better and expedite the improvement of the lives of all South Africans.
”Recognising that so much has been achieved and yet much more remains to be done, the ANC has acknowledged that we are a country teeming with unheralded potential that still needs to be tapped,” ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said.
He continued: “As our democracy matures, the ANC has fielded a capable cohort which will be dedicated to serving their communities. We opted on this route because we recognised that our efforts in the past 27 years have not yet succeeded in transforming the lives of the previously disadvantaged”.
Mabe said ANC councillors will bring improvements.
”The ANC has chosen a road less travelled and pulled all the stops to field the best cadres who are committed to serving their communities ... The ANC has definitely upped the ante and increased expectations in tandem with what our people need. All our councillors understand the responsibility placed on their,” he said.