DA’s Maimane gets a warm welcome in Nkomazi

HECTORSPRUIT – “I ask you to do two things – pray for our country and go vote. Vote for the DA,” Mmusi Maimane implored local business people and DA supporters, when he presented the party’s manifesto at a breakfast meeting in town last Saturday morning.

Maimane was accompanied by the party’s provincial chairman, Bosman Grobler, provincial leader, Jane Sithole, and her deputy, Trudie Grové-Morgan.

Sithole, who has been part of the DA since 1999, encouraged supporters. “The only way to beat what is going on today is to come together. There are more South Africans who want peace rather than war, more who want to stay rather than go,” she said.

Grobler injected some humour into the proceedings with a rhyming introduction of Maimane. The party leader rolled with it and had the crowd laughing with his quick wit and wordplay.

He then became serious and explained that what South Africa is currently facing is part of a cycle that can only be broken if people of all races and traditions work together.

“Everybody needs to fight for everybody’s rights,” Maimane stated.

He mentioned that 40 per cent of households in the country do not have an income and explained that the DA wants to put a job in every home.

“There’s a part of me that feels that God must be offended over what is going on,” he remarked, after mentioning issues of malnutrition, especially among children.

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The DA leader also stressed that tourism, especially in Mpumalanga and Nkomazi, is a game changer and that for every 12 tourists visiting the country, one job is created.

Besides mentioning the need to help small businesses succeed and boosting the manufacturing sector, he said farmers need to know they can own the land they farm. Maimane spoke about successful partnerships between farmers and their workers, where workers get shares in the farm, and stated that the DA will fight expropriation without compensation.

To create jobs and assist young people, Maimane proposed a year-long national civilian service programme, where matriculants are trained for six months and work for government for the other six. This was well received by the crowd.

The crowd also cheered when Maimane said the police service needed to be improved and the borders better secured.

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Maimane also spoke out against corruption and that perpetrators need to be behind bars.

He mentioned that some of the measures the DA will put in place if they win the elections are to sell SAA and use the money to, among others, increase child grants, split Eskom to be more efficient and to reduce the ministers from 74 to 20.

Watch a video of Maimane’s speech (warning: it is over 30 minutes long):

https://www.facebook.com/mariette.preddy/videos/1547986991998368/

He concluded by urging the group to vote, before good-naturedly posing for photos with eager supporters.

Shortly thereafter, DA supporters in Driekoppies and surrounds flocked to Joseph Matsebula Senior Secondary School for a public meeting with Maimane and local councillors.

He addressed the community on problems with the border posts, stating that poor South Africans are the ones targeted by criminals involved in cross-border crime and who have to “face increased competition for health care, education and housing resources”.

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Maimane called for more secure borders and better documentation of everyone entering the country. “We want to make legal entry and residence easier for skilled immigrants and businesses from all countries. We will help South Africans to travel and do business and assist those wanting to live, work and trade in the country legally,” he said.

The DA also aims to help asylum seekers, protect refugees and victims of human trafficking.

The DA’s plan includes a review of the current border posts and increasing their number. They also hope to increase the South African National Defence Force companies stationed on the borders from 15 to 22 and provide them with enough training and resources.

Maimane concluded the meeting by urging the community to vote for change.

During the visit, DA officials also noted that residents of Driekoppies had to walk long distances to gather water from “potentially contaminated ponds and wells”. In a press release, they stated that they will write to the Human Rights Commission for an investigation into the “gross violation of human rights”.

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