DA welcome 124 ANC members into its ranks
On Saturday the DA welcomed 124 ANC members along with the branch executive of Ward 5 in Mashishing, to the party.
LYDENBURG – On Saturday the DA welcomed 124 ANC members along with the branch executive of Ward 5 in Mashishing, to the party.
The welcoming ceremony was led by DA MP Mr Farhad Essack and DA provincial leader, Mr James Masango. This crossover was celebrated at Kellysville Hall.
Young and old took part in the celebrations. Immediately after the welcome, the new DA members tore off their ANC T-shirts and replaced them with the signature blue attire.
Masango told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that this cross-over meant a lot – not only to the DA – but for the community at large.
“The community of Mashishing has been in trouble ever since 2008 when services went awry. Since then, nothing has changed.
“As we speak Sabie is in chaos because of ANC infighting and non-service delivery. This means that people are now sick and tired and want a better government that can look after their interests.
“They want a government that can actually make sure that they get employment.
“Employment is the greatest problem at the moment. If we really want to close the gap between the haves and the have-nots, people must be employed. People should not get food parcels and blankets from government.
“They should be able to provide for themselves. People should not expect anyone to vote on their behalf. They must vote for change against corruption, unemployment and non-service delivery.
I think that the residents of Mashishing’s mindset has changed. I believe that they will do that, come election day, to ensure that Mashishing will no longer be ruled by the ANC.”
Masango said the ANC’s, factionalism, inward focus and continued failure to address the service-delivery ills in Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM), led to numerous protests that had brought the municipality’s economy to its knees.
He said the DA had for a long time called for the dissolution of TCM’s council due to the ANC’s instability and failure to provide real leadership to the municipality.
“These new members prove that the DA is steadily becoming the party of choice for communities across Thaba Chweu and the province at large.”
Essack said this was a sign of how the times are seriously beginning to change. “The community of Mashishing is now beginning to show that they have simply had enough of non-service delivery.
“People have been let down and ignored to a level where they realised that change for the better is through the ballot box.
“With the result that droves and droves of people, some diehard ANC supporters, have come to realise that through the DA they have a better chance towards a government that will not only deliver better quality of life, but a government that will cut out corruption and cadre deployment.
“This is why you see people beginning to realise that the time for change has come.
As a result you will see residents, not only in Lydenburg, Kellysville and Mashishing, but all over Mpumalanga, crossing over from the ANC to the DA.
“Nationally the number of people walking over to the DA increases daily. At the end of the day there is only one opposition party that can make a difference and that is the DA.”
