Political reporter
JOHANNESBURG- BATTLE lines are drawn in the province where campaigning by the mayoral hopefuls is in full swing with the watershed polls in the horizon.
The newly-confirmed African National Congress (ANC) candidate for the capital Pretoria has put the mayhem that followed her nomination recently, behind her and hit the ground running while her main rival Solly Msimanga of the Democratic Alliance (DA) maintains his hyper campaign in the city.
The campaigns come in the wake of the wave of violence that left at least four people dead, shops looted and 19 buses burnt.
Residents were protesting against Didiza whom they said was not born in the city, unlike the incumbent mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa. The residents, especially from Atteridgeville, where Romokgopa was born and bred, wanted “Sputla” back in the fold, but ANC did not buckle to the demands.
Didiza appears slowly charming her way into the hearts of prospective voters.
“Leadership is about service to the people. I’m ready to serve. There are challenges, but I am certain that the ANC led government is on right path to resolving them,” said Didiza on her social media page.
The ANC Women’s League endorsed her candidature last Sunday at the Laudium Community Centre, where she said, “I am truly humbled.”
Meanwhile, Msimanga, who has been campaigning since January as the mayoral candidate for DA mocked Didiza’s coming did not “change the game.”
“We are fighting a corrupt and inefficient system, not personalities. Any ANC candidate will fall come August 3.”
Early indications are the mayoral poll will be a two-horse race between the ruling party and its long running rival.
There are similar indications over 50 kilometres further in Johannesburg, where, businessman Herman Mashaba will go head-to-head with incumbent Parks Tau for the influential position.
The DA candidate upped the tempo this week when he charged Tau presided over R4,2 billion in “unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure”, quoting the Auditor-General, who Mashaba reported had recommended investigations.
“But we have heard nothing from Tau. He is very quiet. Do you know what you can do with R4,2 billion?” asked Mashaba this week while addressing reporters at one of his many rallies in Roodepoort.
Tau, who has been quietly doing business, seems to be unfazed, telling a gathering at the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter and launch of the Johannesburg Manifesto for the 2016 local government elections he had an “impeccable” record.
“On the basis of our track record, and the work that we’re doing, we’re confident that the ANC will win the City of Joburg. We continue to say to political parties that populism and taking illegal actions doesn’t help in an election,” Tau said.
On Monday, the ruling party on launched adverts ahead of the crucial elections.
“Ours has never been about blowing our own trumpets on the many successes we have recorded in our continuing quest to build a better life for all, but the steady and consistent changes we have brought about working together with our people,” said Zizi Kodwa, the ANC national spokesman.
Gauteng pits 11 municipalities in the ring in the forthcoming elections, but clearly the spotlight is in the capital city and the commercial city of Johannesburg.
Other municipalities going to elections are Emfuleni, Ekhuruleni, Lesedi, Merafong, Midvaal Mogale City, Rand West City, Sedibeng and West Rand.
– Guardian
