DA out to woo Joburg voters

Mmusi Maimane speaks at the DA congress. File picture: Phando Jikelo

Mmusi Maimane speaks at the DA congress. File picture: Phando Jikelo

Published Nov 27, 2015

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Johannesburg - The odds were stacked against the DA on Thursday when the party went to Dobsonville, Soweto, to launch a poster campaign canvassing for votes for next year’s local government elections.

Although DA leader Mmusi Maimane is from the area, the party’s track record there during last year’s national polls - with Maimane was the face of the Gauteng campaign - was not impressive.

The DA was beaten by newcomer the EFF in most wards on his turf, except two. Maimane had unsuccessfully run as Joburg mayoral candidate in 2011.

The party's campaign poster, #LoveMyJozi, which DA Joburg campaign manager Khume Ramulifho said was meant to encourage people to take ownership of the city, was hosted by a small group of enthusiastic supporters.

Ramulifho told the group of about 60 people to use the hashtag in their social media discussions.

However, many of the elderly women present were clutching what they said were exorbitant bills from Eskom even though they were using prepaid electricity.

The residents wanted to know how the DA was going to help them.

Ramulifho said that although the launch of the campaign was the start of the party’s mayoral candidacy vote to woo locals before next year’s local government elections, it was also about showing people that the party cared about them.

“This (taking electricity billing issues to the city) is an indication that we are not only here for votes,” he said.

“Look at this city, there is nothing wrong with it but the people leading it. We want these residents to love Joburg. If we care about it then we will not fold our arms.”

He said the DA;s campaigning for votes had started in May and the party;s manifesto was in place but would be revealed only after the mayoral candidate was selected next year.

“We want people to believe us so that when other parties come to them, they will not be swayed,” he said.

“2016 is probably the time when the DA will be in charge in Joburg. We've come from getting 50 to 80 votes a ward in this area to thousands; that is an improvement.”

Ramulifho said the party had calculated the number of votes it would require to win the 135 wards in Joburg next year.

He said the DA did not have to win all the city's wards to be a governing party and seek potential coalitions.

The DA was aiming at attaining 15 percent of the votes in each of the wards in Soweto.

“It’s not going to be an overwhelming majority that we can get,” he said.

John Moodey, the party’s Gauteng leader, said people wanted change and a reason to believe in the future, which was what the DA wanted.

“We are here to tell the people of Dobsonville that we identify with the issues they face daily, whether that is to do with billing problems or any other,” he said.

“As a citizen of this province and the city, the change that I want is exactly what they desire. It is their choice but we are here to offer them support and to be of service to them.”

The Star

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