Propaganda by other parties and the low levels of voter education in the electorate has delayed opposition parties from taking over Emfuleni municipalities despite the ANC failing to deliver services there.
These were the reasons given by the DA and the EFF for their failure to take what visibly looks like a low-hanging fruit.
Almost all the residents who spoke to Sowetan say they were fed up with the ruling party and were not even willing to vote as it made no difference.
Tebogo Tlhokwe, DA caucus leader in Emfuleni, said the party had been growing its electoral support in the region but admitted it faced challenges.
“The challenge is still the propaganda that the DA will take their properties if they don’t pay for the services and also that DA is for white interests. On the other hand, the traditional constituency which has been supporting the DA in the majority are whites who feel that the DA doesn’t speak enough about the minority rights and farm killings… although the truth is the opposite. However we are trying very hard to change the mindset of voters to learn the truth
“The ANC and the EFF use the same strategy to intimidate voters with propaganda that I have mentioned above. It’s so pathetic,” Tlhokwe said.
Itani Mukwevho, acting provincial chairperson of the EFF, said the electorate had not fully understood the power of the vote.
“Our voters in SA are not liberated properly to understand the dynamics of politics. They are yet to understand how their right to vote can change their lives. As the EFF we are teaching them that; their right to get better services – you must vote correctly. This thing of burning tyres and damaging schools and clinics does not help them. What is important is to vote properly.
“In 2016, the EFF was just two to three years old. We cannot judge our voters with what happened then. The trust of voters back then and their trust now is different. The EFF is the only political party which is growing in all the elections it has participated in. We trust that this time they will vote for us in majority and we can take over that municipality,” Mukwevho said.
Emfuleni local municipality has been under administration since 2018. Basic services such as maintenance of roads, reliable supply of water and electricity have been a nightmare for residents.
The ANC agreed it messed up.
“Indeed we did wrong, but can you please give us another chance. We will correct our wrongs. We will deal with unruly elements within our ranks and come back and report,” pleads regional coordinator Mafika Siphiwe Mgcina.
He said the party would implement consequence management to its councilors and ensure that communities participate in tender processes to achieve equitable employment among residents.
The EFF, on the other side, said it would abolish tenders, give land to residents and employ residents to do the work.
The DA, meanwhile, promised to write off historical debt and pay service providers and hire competent people to do the work.
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