About 2000 DA supporters braved the chilly Saturday morning wind to watch DA Premier candidate Solly Msimanga deliver a heartfelt electioneering speech at Solomon Mahlangu Square in Mamelodi.
Kitted out in navy blue tracksuit, a stetson hat and sneakers, Msimanga delivered his speech predominantly in the local Pretoria township dialect called “spitori,” much to the delight of the gathered crowd who obviously understood every word he said.
“We fought against apartheid, but the ANC has brought back the selfsame system of apartheid,” said Msimanga.
“If you are not an ANC card-carrying member, you get overlooked and discriminated against when it comes to jobs, food parcels and many other opportunities in life,” he said.
“The ANC is like an abusive boyfriend or girlfriend who beats you up every now and then, and would later apologies for beating you up, only to beat you up again a few days later,” he said.
Msimanga said instead of letting South Africans enjoy the benefits of freedom, the ANC has actually been abusing South Africans for 30 years now.
“I grew up in an era where electricity was there every day, trains were running every day and water was there every day,” said Msimanga.
He said during the era wherein he grew up, there were plenty of jobs and everybody who was of adult age had a job and those who didn’t want to work were actually arrested and compelled to get a job.
“But under the ANC government jobs are scarce to the extent that those who are employed are looked upon with surprise and are considered to be very lucky,” said Msimanga, much to the laughter of the crowd.
He emphasised that the present status quo in South Africa is not the democracy that the late ANC operative Solomon Mahlangu fought and died for.
“We will build new infrastructure and safe-guard existing ones, we will make sure there is water and electricity all the time, we will make sure nurses do their jobs with a smile instead of a frown, we will make sure that instead of taking bribes police officers will eradicate nyaope in places like Mamelodi and we will depoliticise the teaching profession to avoid strikes by teachers,” said Msimanga emphatically.
He said that former President Nelson Mandela is surely shaking in his grave due to the daily shenanigans of the ANC.
Now turning his attention on the newly established MK Party, Msimanga said the following:
“Those who are going to vote for MK Party are lost, just like Jacob Zuma, because for nine years while serving as president of the country Zuma did nothing except to steal the wealth and resources of this country.”
He said South Africans have an opportunity to save the country now via elections in May because if they don’t, then it will be too late to save the country after another five years of the ANC government.
He pointed out that the mistake that was made by citizens of countries like Zimbabwe and Mozambique was to allow liberation movements to run their countries down to the ground.
“This they did by voting for the liberation movements into power in every election,” lamented Msimanga as he pointed out that the ANC as a former liberation movement and now governing party was ruining the country.
DA supporter Esodia Rakololo from Soshanguve, bemoaned the fact that freedom and democracy is only enjoyed by those who are in high places in the government and in the ANC, while ordinary citizens have not tasted the fruits of liberation.
“Our children and grandchildren are unemployed, and I have to use my pension money to feed and clothe them, I will vote for the DA in the elections,” said Rakololo.
DA chairperson in Ward 35 Soshanguve North, Flora Mshoko, said she came to listen to Msimanga and enjoy Freedom Day celebrations with her fellow DA members, this as the DA gives her hope and promises her a better future.