Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni, Dr Nkosindiphile Xhakaza cast his vote on Wednesday at the Thuto Ke Maatla Engineering School of Specialisation in Tembisa, where he appealed to community members to come out in their numbers and vote in the tightly-contested 2024 national and provincial elections.
Xhakaza joined Gauteng Premier and ANC provincial chairperson in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi in the long queue, and they were accompanied by several officials of the ruling party.
Speaking to IOL, Xhakaza said he hopes for a decisive victory for his party, the ANC, as experiences in the municipalities run through coalitions, including Ekurhuleni, have shown that the coalition arrangement stall progress due to squabbling.
“It is important for me as the mayor of Ekurhuleni to work with the Premier Panyaza Lesufi who is having the same vision as mine, and the same energies, so that we ensure that we continue to deliver services. Any change is going to delay service delivery. For two and half years (of coalition governance) the people of Ekurhuleni have suffered,” said Xhakaza.
“I do think we must get our communities to come out and vote in their numbers for a dynamic premier like Premier Panyaza. We think there is vision and leadership. The entire country looks up to him for the future of this country. Of course, for now we have President Cyril Ramaphosa who is very clear on the programme of renewal.”
Last month, IOL reported that the ANC's had been elected as the new mayor of the volatile City of Ekurhuleni.
Xhakaza was elected uncontested to replace the African Independent Congress (AIC)'s Sivuyile Ngodwana, who was removed from office in a vote of no confidence that was endorsed by ActionSA.
The City of Ekurhuleni is now run by the ANC, backed by the Economic Freedom Figters in the metro.
On Wednesday, Xhakaza said community members must utilise the hard-won right to vote, as it intensifies democracy and accountability.
“Our communities must come out to vote for the provincial and national government, to ensure that we strengthen democracy and we enhance accountability. The experiences of Ekurhuleni in the past two and half years, where there has been no decisive victory for any party has caused us a delay in the provision of services,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, IOL reported that Lesufi, the premier of the South Africa’s most populous province, had cast his vote at the Thuto Ke Maatla Engineering School of Specialisation in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, where he conceded that it is going to be a tough contest.
However, Lesufi said without sounding arrogant, he believed the people of Gauteng would give the African National Congress (ANC) another opportunity to lead the province which is the economic heartbeat of South Africa.
“I do not want to be arrogant and pre-determine the outcome (of the election). We follow one document, the Freedom Charter which says the people shall govern,” Lesufi told IOL while he was in the queue to cast his vote.
“It does not say the ANC shall govern. If people prefer us to govern, we really believe that we can and therefore we are confident that the African National Congress will be chosen by our people and the ANC has the capability, skill and the talent to ensure that we run not only our province but our country.”
The former provincial MEC of Education in Gauteng said he believes the ANC will “surprise” many people in these tightly-contested elections.
IOL