President Cyril Ramaphosa has blamed the 10 years of former President Jacob Zuma’s tenure for the troubles the country is currently facing.
He cited high levels of unemployment and corruption as key issues his government needed to address with speed.
Ramaphosa was in East London on Sunday as part of his “Thuma Mina” campaign, aimed at speeding up service delivery across the country.
Addressing hundreds of ANC supporters at the Winter Rose Stadium in Mdantsane, Ramaphosa said: “We are fixing things – and even those who were stealing money are on their heels because we want our money back so that we can use it for service delivery. We want to fix things, because we want to create jobs because our people are not working.”
His words were greeted with loud applause.
His visit was among those of other top ANC officials including the 80-member national executive committee (NEC), who were scattered across the province’s regions at the weekend to listen to what voters expect from the ruling party if it wins at the polls next year.
With Ramaphosa in East London were NEC members Colleen Maine and Nathi Mthethwa as well as ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane and Dr WB Rubusana regional chairman Pumlani Mkolo.
“We want you to support regional and provincial leaders and make sure you work with them. We as national leaders are working hard. We are fixing all the things that went wrong in the past 10 years.
“Playtime and stealing time is over,” declared the president. He was Zuma’s deputy for the last four of his 10 years.
He also made impromptu visits to various areas including Duncan Village, where he inspected renovations the department of human settlements is doing to the house of late struggle veteran Henry Fazzie.
That was after inspecting the construction of a bridge linking Potsdam and Needs Camp near Mdantsane.
Ramaphosa expressed concern at the decaying state of East London’s oldest township, and said he has asked BCM leaders to prioritise Duncan Village in service delivery.
“I have told the metro to deal with housing problems there. I have been told that there is a plan and they are busy finalizing agreements with the province. Our people have been living in shacks for decades without basic service delivery.
“I have instructed the municipality and the province and I will supervise them myself to see this work through. I have told comrade Mabuyane to prioritise this and I will supervise him. I did not like what I saw in Duncan Village. We want this province prioritised with houses,” he said.
In January Ramaphosa promised Henry’s widow Notemba Fazzie her house would be revamped. Reacting to the promise, Fazzie, 91, said: “I am happy but when I look at how people in Duncan Village live, it pains me. When I arrived here it wasn’t like this. Now (the situation) has worsened.”
ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte was in OR Tambo and treasurer-general Paul Mashatile in Komani.
The visit by Luthuli House bosses comes as the ANC in the Eastern Cape is riven with factional fights in most regions.
Nelson Mandela Bay REC is on a collision course with the PEC after refusing to bow to the province’s decision to disband it and replace it with a task team. The REC has written to the NEC to intervene.
Mashatile said on Sunday that the Bay REC’s complaint would be addressed on Monday in East London. He said the national working committee would give all parties a chance to present their side.
“We are meeting the regional leadership tomorrow [Monday]. We must remember that RECs serve on the mandate of the PEC. The PEC can take that mandate if it is not used properly,” Mashatile said.
Duarte was in Mthatha along with the party’s chief whip in Bhisho, Fundile Gade, OR Tambo district mayor Nomakhosazana Meth and OR Tambo task team convener and Ingquza Hill council speaker Ntandokazi Capa.
“We want to win the Eastern Cape decisively.
“As such, we will ignore everything and focus on putting the ANC first,” said Duarte...