Zukile Majova
DA leader John Steenhuisen has probably never heard of Qhanqo Village in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape.
But in this tiny rural outpost, Steenhuisen’s party wiped the floor with the ANC, winning 95.2% of the vote compared to the ANC’s 4.2%.
In the next village – VD 11761398 – the DA got 96.2% of the vote, the ANC 2.5% and the EFF 1.2%.
It’s a similar story at Lutshikini JSS where the DA got 66% and the ANC got 28%. Across this village is Qhanqo JSS – VD 11790772 – the DA got 81.4%, the ANC 10.8% and the EFF 3.7%.
At least five voting stations in ward 11 in Umzimvubu Local Municipality voted overwhelmingly for the DA.
These developments right in the very heart of ANC country have shocked many in these parts and point to a growing number of people who are gatvol with the ANC.
However, despite these villagers expressing their disappointment at the ANC, other surrounding villages stuck with the ANC.
But the votes obtained from these villages contributed to the overall performance of the DA which secured two seats in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality, an ANC-stronghold that the ruling party won by 76.4%.
It is not only the DA that these rural voters are turning to as an alternative to the ruling party.
In another part of KwaBhaca, three villages voted overwhelmingly for the EFF while the residents of Nyanisweni village in Mbizana, voted 100% for the SRWP [Numsa’s new party, the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party].
On Monday, Scrolla.Africa reported about a group of village women who shut down the town of Mount Ayliff demanding basic services for their village.
These villagers in Ward 11 and Ward 13 are part of a dozen villages that are at loggerheads with ANC bosses over a slow pace of service delivery.
Mamtolo Masangwana, a resident of Enyosini village said in 2014 a contractor was awarded a tender to bring water to the area but that project was abandoned.
“For weeks now the mayor promised to visit the area but failed to show up after three appointments.
“We in our foolishness are stuck with our loyalty to the ANC.”
Image source: Esa Alexander/Sowetan
