By Cwayita Nondula
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has called on supporters to wrest power away from the DA in Nelson Mandela Bay by backing the ruling party in the November 1 local government elections.
He warned that if this did not happen, the DA would "continue messing up".
Ramaphosa was in Gqeberha on Sunday, his second day of campaigning in the Eastern Cape after starting off in Buffalo City the day before.
While in Gqeberha, he met resident in Wells Estate and Kariega, where he called on them to kick the DA out of power.
Speaking to Ward 60 residents in Wells Estate, he said: “It is important that Nelson Mandela Bay returns under the ANC’s leadership. Those in charge of Nelson Mandela Bay are messing up because they are not meeting the needs of our people. No houses were built when the DA was in power, they were last built by the ANC.”
Ramaphosa warned the crowd what could happen if they did not cast their votes. “If you don’t vote, I’m telling you the honest fact, the DA will remain in power, and continue messing up. On November 1, go out in numbers and vote so the ANC returns to power.”
In 2016, the ANC lost the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and the DA governed through a coalition with other parties.
Ramaphosa said that this time the ANC is gunning for all the metros in South Africa. “As the ANC, we have shown even at a national level we can perform exceptionally. We are driving the economy in a way that we will now create jobs.”
Ramaphosa also urged people to continue to vaccinate as the government ramps up its vaccination drive.
He said the Eastern Cape is currently in the number one spot for most vaccinations recorded.
“We opened the Vooma Vaccination Campaign, so everyone gets vaccinated. The more we vaccinate, the more the economy can open so South Africa is not subjected to the different lockdown levels.”
Political Bureau