By Savious Kwinika and TSAKANI CHAUKE

PRETORIA, – THE governing African National Congress (ANC) is likely to retain power in Johannesburg but will face an uphill struggle to maintain it dominance in the capital Pretoria where it has “imposed” Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate.

That is if public sentiment is anything to go by ahead of th much-anticipated municipal elections set for next week.

“In Johannesburg, there is no doubt, Parks Tau is returning the mayoral position because he delivered. It is not a question of which party he belongs, but the man has delivered results, though there are some areas as residents we feel he has to attended,” says Nkemeleng Tshabalala, of Soweto.

Sanele Malepe of Braamfontein, says Tau delivered for the residents of Johannesburg despite tough economic environment, hence she is confident the mayor will be retained.

“The current mayor must be given another chance to complete the good work he has started. We have seen his projects and some of the achievements he attained in the past. Given another chance, Tau will definitely do better and make Johannesburg the best city in the continent,” says Malepe.

Tau will face businessman-cum-politician, Herman Mashaba, of the Democratic Alliance (DA) for one of the most influential positions in the country.

It has been projected to be a stiff competition, but not according to some members of the public who believe it’s a foregone conclusion.

“The elections are a mere formality,” says Malepe.

However, the same cannot be said about the prospects of the ruling party’s candidate for the capital city Pretoria.

Didiza was nominated ahead of incumbent Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

The “imposition” was met with a revolt, which Dikeledi Moalusi of Mamelodi says this spells doom for the ANC and hope for the opposition.

“The EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and DA will record a joint 70 percent victory while relegating ANC to a mere 30 percent,” Moalusi predicts .

That coming from an ANC supporter sums up what has been a tumultuous period for the ruling party in the capital city.

“ANC dismally fumbled by imposing a candidate on us. I believe I’m echoing the sentiment of a majority when I say we will vote for either EFF or DA on August 3. That is the prevailing mood in the townships,” says Moalusi.

Didiza will square off against h Solly Msimanga for the mayoral position in Pretoria.

There is something unique about this poll that it divides families, a sign of the changing times as in the past, the masses were unequivocal of their support of the liberation movement-ANC.

“Our family is divided but all the same the secrecy of our votes paramount,” says Takalani Muleya of Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria.

“However, we discuss as a family as to who to vote for on August 3. My brothers openly told me they will vote for EFF while I will vote for DA,” adds Muleya, whose family is the embodiment of Gauteng Province’s slogan as a province united in diversity.

However Dumazi Hasani of Alexandra is torn between the ANC and the EFF.

“EFF policies are not fantasies! Moreso, EFF has no corruption records as opposed to ANC. However, as for the city mayoral candidate, Parks Tau has done well, and deserves the second opportunity,” Hasani says.

Charles Selona, who has been an ANC staunch supporter since 1994, believes Pretoria will go to DA and EFF arguing that the two parties campaigned aggressively in the townships while the ruling ANC fumbled by imposing Didiza.

“There is no doubt, Parks Tau (Mayor of Joburg) will narrowly win against DA and EFF, but the trouble lies in Tshwane for ANC where the ruling party imposed its candidate to the electorate. Worse still, the ANC Tshwane representative does not know how to campaign on her own unlike other contesting mayoral candidates,” said Selona.

Echoing the same sentiments was Sandra Ngwe, who sales chicken in Alexandra, who said the mayoral candidate for Joburg Tau would win, but cast doom on the ANC Pretoria candidate Thoko Didiza.

“ANC will return the city of Johannesburg, but Tshwane, if elections are free and fair, DA and EFF will romp to victory, there is no question about that,” said Ngwenya.

ANC had a landslide in the province during the last elections held in 2011.

It won a majority in all but one of the municipalities in Gauteng, the sole exception being Midvaal, which was won by the DA.

Then, DA was non-existent, only to emerge exactly three years ago, started by members ANC expelled from its ranks for alleged indiscipline. – savious.kwinika@cajnewsafrica.com, TWITTER: @SaviousKwinika

Didiza was nominated ahead of incumbent Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

The “imposition” was met with revolt.

Dikeledi Moalusi of Mamelodi says this spells doom for the ANC and hope for the opposition.

“The EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and DA will record a joint 70 percent victory while relegating ANC to a mere 30 percent,” Moalusi projects.

That coming from an ANC supporter sums up what has been a tumultuous period for the ruling party in the capital city.

“ANC dismally fumbled by imposing a candidate on us. I believe I’m echoing the sentiment of a majority when I say we will vote for either EFF or DA on August 3.

That is the prevailing mood in the townships,” says Moalusi.

Didiza will battle out with Solly Msimanga for the mayoral position in Pretoria.

There is something unique about this poll that it divides families, a sign of the changing times as in the past, the masses were unequivocal of their support of the liberation movement-ANC.

“Our family is divided but all the same the secrecy of our votes paramount,” says Takalani Muleya of Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria.

“However, we discuss as a family as to who to vote for on August 3. My brothers openly told me they will vote for EFF while I will vote for DA,” adds Muleya, whose family is the embodiment of Gauteng Province’s slogan as a province united in diversity.

Hence Dumazi Hasani of Alexandra is torn between the ANC and the EFF.

“EFF policies are not fantasies! Moreso, EFF has no corruption records as opposed to ANC. However, as for the city mayoral candidate, Parks Tau has done well, and deserves the second opportunity,” Hasani says.

Charles Selona, who has been an ANC staunch supporter since 1994, believes Pretoria will go to DA and EFF arguing that the two parties campaigned aggressively in the townships while the ruling ANC fumbled by imposing Didiza.

“There is no doubt, Parks Tau (Mayor of Joburg) will narrowly win against DA and EFF, but the trouble lies in Tshwane for ANC where the ruling party imposed its candidate to the electorate. Worse still, the ANC Tshwane representative does not know how to campaign on her own unlike other contesting mayoral candidates,” said Selona.

Echoing the same sentiments was Sandra Ngwe, who sales chicken in Alexandra, who said the mayoral candidate for Joburg Tau would win, but cast doom on the ANC Pretoria candidate Thoko Didiza.

“ANC will return the city of Johannesburg, but Tshwane, if elections are free and fair, DA and EFF will romp to victory, there is no question about that,” said Ngwenya.

ANC had a landslide in the province during the last elections held in 2011.

It won a majority in all but one of the municipalities in Gauteng, the sole exception being Midvaal, which was won by the DA.

Then, DA was non-existent, only to emerge exactly three years ago, started by members ANC expelled from its ranks for alleged indiscipline.

-CAJ News