Johannesburg - Residents of Tembisa say they were pleased to see ANC leaders in town earlier on Wednesday, but there is still a mountain of local government issues they want resolved.
President Jacob Zuma visited the township on Wednesday as part of the ANC’s election campaign, in the run up to the municipal elections on August 3.
He was accompanied by the party's Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Mzwandile Masina and Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba.
Annah Simelane, a Tembisa resident, told Independent Media she hoped the new mayor would fix the problem with her electricity, which often went off even though she had paid her rates.
“Every month the electricity switches off. I hear what the [candidate] mayor is saying but how will he fix my electricity?” asked Simelane.
28-year-old Mlamuli Ncube shared similar sentiments about persistent power outages in the area.
“My wish since the president is here, is that he can try and do something about our housing problems and to also fix the electricity issue in this area,” said Ncube.
Most of those who attended Wednesday’s rally were young people, which is no surprise as those between the ages of 20 and 29 make up 23% of the local population, according to Stats SA’s 2011 census.
Nkanyiso Sithole (25) is one of those young people and he said all he wanted was and end to his unemployment.
“I want a job. I am just sitting here washing cars and I think since they are here they should get us jobs. A lot of the young people in this area are addicted to drugs,” said Sithole.
Some of the residents attending Zuma's rally had no idea who Masina was before he came on stage alongside Zuma, despite his face adorning posters on most of Tembisa’s roads and street poles.
Nelly Rammutla (29) carried her baby girl on her back while watching Zuma speak, and told Independent Media that she was happy to finally see the new mayoral candidate and hoped she would see change in the community.
“I have a small child and sometimes where I live there is no water for two weeks, how are we supposed to live with that?” asked Rammutla.
Zuma earlier told residents to vote for the ANC and unite as black people in order to ensure a victory for the party.
In the 2011 local government elections, the ANC won the municipality by 63% and the DA received 30% of the metro’s votes.
The EFF also campaigned in the township last month, when party leader Julius Malema was forced to leave the area by ANC supporters.
Labour Bureau