Fidler in the Hood: There’s a ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ of Uvongo
People were greeted by a crowd of more than 600 DA followers in full throttle.
You may or may not have noticed, but ‘election fever’ is in the air. There are six weeks to go to when we are invited to put an ‘X’ on ballot papers. A period when normal people are wined and dined, wooed and booed, spoiled for choice with free T-shirts, and, if potential voters are really lucky, a litre bottle of cool drink of their choice.
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There’s nothing like local South African politics to raise the hackles, make the blood boil, and drive people to distraction. The winter of discontent is upon us!
Lusty launch
The CO and your scribe went along to the Uvongo town hall last Thursday to witness the launch of the Democratic Alliance’s election campaign. What an experience!
One can only say that the cacophony of noise made the UK Brexit fiasco a boring non-event. People were greeted by a crowd of more than 600 DA followers in full throttle and then happily being shown to front-row seats. Nobody could make themselves be heard – and that was before the show got on the road.
Enter the gladiators
Then ‘they’ arrived, to the music ‘Entry of the Gladiators’, the DA bigwigs made their entrance: first, one-and-only local ‘hero’ George Henderson, DA councillor for ward 11, closely followed by the DA KZN Premier candidate, Zwakele Mncwango. Ever the consummate politician, George shook everyone’s hand and introduced Mr Mncwango, DA constituency head, MPL Dr Rishigen Viranna and the party’s national leader Mmusi Maimane.
‘Viva President Maimane’ shouted George and ‘Viva President Maimane’ roared back the 650-strong crowd. The mood was set.
Enter Mmusi Maimane: one had to admit: it was mighty impressive and quite emotional too.
Food for thought
The leader stated that the party wants an ‘all-inclusive’ South Africa, a place in the sun for all, which citizens can proudly call home. Everyone left emotionally impressed – certainly ‘a rumble in the jungle’. After meeting it was too late to cook and eat at home, so dinner was at the Douglas Mitchell Sports Club, Uvongo. A rugby match was in progress and spectators were in good voice – politics, rugby, beer and braais. Yet another day in Uvongo and neighbouring ‘states’. Who needs Brexit?
See you, Rob.
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