The past weekend saw political parties hold their final election rallies before Wednesday’s historic vote. We take a look at a few:
🔹 The African National Congress (ANC), in a bid to conquer the hearts of the voters, organised their Siyanqoba (To Conquer) Rally at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. The event, led by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, drew a massive crowd and sparked discussions when he echoed a popular pro-Palestine slogan: “From the river, to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Ramaphosa reminded attendees of the ANC’s achievements over the last 30 years and made a promise to do more. “Over the next five years, working with all South Africans, we will implement a jobs plan to put more South Africans to work. We will build our industries and invest in an inclusive economy,” he said.
🔹 The Democratic Alliance (DA) held its We Can Rescue South Africa rally on Sunday. The rally, held at the Willowmoore Stadium in Benoni, managed to pull in a considerable crowd. It featured performances from musician Big Zulu, Amapiano DJ Oscar Mbo and many others. In his speech, DA leader John Steenhuisen said that, unlike other parties who just make promises, the DA has evidence of the work they’ve done. “Unlike other parties, the DA doesn’t offer you empty promises. We show you concrete facts. And the facts are undeniable,” he said.
🔹 The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) painted Peter Mokaba Stadium in Limpopo red when it hosted its Tshela Thupa rally on Saturday. EFF Commander in Chief Julius Malema spoke about how the EFF was “many voices but the message remains one: our land and jobs now, end loadshedding.” He also said that when the EFF came to power, they would “raid Phala Phala,” referring to the theft of millions of dollars from Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. “The president said four days ago that he was going to pay the money back to the buyer. This means the EFF has exposed him,” Malema said.
🔹 Build One South Africa (BOSA) held its Jikizinto Final Rally at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, Gauteng, on Saturday. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane urged attendees to “Vote for your hopes, not your fears.” Maimane said that others govern in a way that maintains two South Africas—one for the wealthy and one for the rest. “They want to “rescue” South Africa, they say. They will use Apartheid propaganda tools of swart gevaar, stoking the apprehensions of minority groups,” said Maimane of his former party, the DA.
He also made the bold claim that were he alive today, Nelson Mandela would vote for BOSA. “This rally, this moment is us taking that freedom to be free to free us from liberators who want to send us backwards, and we are here to say to them if Nelson Mandela was around today, he would be voting for Bosa, for the vision of a South Africa that works for all the people sit in this room with all the people in this country.”
