NELSPRUIT – In a bid to reach every community in the region at least twice before elections, the DA Together for Change Tour gave itself 53 days to accomplish this.
Stopping in Brondal recently for a gathering, the party’s provincial councillors took time from their busy schedules to visit a young man to drop off a food parcel and other essential items.
Thembinkosi Khoza was badly hurt in a hit-and-run while walking home.
He was eventually taken to Rob Ferreira Hospital by ambulance where he underwent extensive surgery.
Khoza has not been able to work since the accident as he is waiting for his leg to heal and, as the family breadwinner, it has been a very tough time. Johan Ligthelm heard of the young man’s plight and brought it to the attention of the local DA representative. Sifiso Ngomane, community operations manager, arranged for food and other essentials to be collected to assist Khoza in some way until he is able to return to work.
Brondal is just one of many poor communities in the area and people eke out a living from any job they can get through farming and forestry. “Rural communities are bearing the brunt of the massive decline in jobs in recent years.
“Our message today is that we cannot afford to carry on this way,” says Ngomane, parliamentary candidate for legislature.
“If we want South Africa to grow and our people to lead decent lives, we have to stop this general decay in provincial administration.
“The state has immense resources but it doesn’t reach communities like Thembinkosi’s.”
“A DA-led government will not return these communities back to an apartheid-type regime, as people are being led to believe by powerful propaganda,” adds Sonja Boshoff, current sitting MP.
“Remember, the fundamental core of the DA was fiercely anti-apartheid. We value non-racialism and equal opportunity for everyone above anything else. ”
Boshoff and Ngomane spent the morning talking to the Brondal community and spreading the DA’s message of job creation. They were joined by fellow provincial councillors Jane Moloisi-Sithole and Farhad Essack.
