Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) star rally at Orlando Stadium, Soweto

by TINTSWALO BALOYI / AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG – SOUTH Africa’s ruling party has received solidarity from fellow governing parties in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc ahead of Wednesday’s elections.

Incumbent, Cyril Ramaphosa, who will lead the ruling African National Congress (ANC) disclosed the support on Sunday at the party’s “Siyanqoba’/We are Winning” rally at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.

He said among the parties that expressed solidarity include People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Lesotho’s All Basotho Convention (ABC),

Namibia’s South-West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) were among SADC regional liberation movements that graced the ANC rally.

The ANC meanwhile reiterated its solidarity with victims of the recent Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

South Africa also suffered deadly floods in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal Provinces.

A minute of silence was observed for the hundreds that were killed.

Appealing for voters to endorse the ANC at the polls, Ramaphosa admitted the ANC made mistakes along the way while tackling unemployment in the country.

He nonetheless said none of the political parties in the country had done more than the governing party.

Ramaphosa said from gaining freedom in 1994, only 9 million people had jobs in South Africa, but the figured had since doubled to more than 18 million.

Elsewhere, the official opposition, Democratic Alliance (DA), and the third-biggest party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) both held their final rallies in Soweto on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Analysts predict the ANC to retain power and EFF to dislodge DA as the official opposition.

– CAJ News