Staff Reporter
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has urged his supporters in the Free State not to subject themselves to continued poverty and unemployment by voting for the ruling ANC in the forthcoming local government elections.
He said this during marathon community meetings in Senekal, Bethlehem and QwaQwa on Saturday.
The opposition leader also told the supporters to occupy prime land in the more affluent areas so that they can get services faster unlike the current situation in most townships in the country.
“The power is in your hands,” said Malema during a community meeting in Senekal in Setsoto Local Municiapality.
“It’s up to you to decide who to vote for. I will never force you.
“I came here today to make sure history does not leave a blank page. I don’t want hear you, in future, saying no one spoke to us . . .”
Residents in Setsoto municipality have struggled over the years to for a reliable supply of water as the dams and the water treatment capacity in the area can no longer meeting the demand of the growing population.
Residents of Marquard and Senekal have in the past been forced to turn to local farmers for water after their taps went dry.
The water tankers provided by the municipality often fail to serve everyone.
“So, if you want to remain unemployed, vote for them . . . If you want to continue without toilets, vote for them,” said Malema.
“It’s your decision. Have a conversation with yourself, not with a mob . . . just you, alone.
“If you repeat that mistake . . . on November 1, you must know you have extended your poverty by five years. There is no retreat.
“If you repeat that mistake, even if you toyi-toyi or burn tyres, you can never remove your councillor. Councillors can only be removed through voting.”
Malema believes his party will be able to dislodge the ANC in most municipalities in the province.
He told the people that five years is too long to go without a job a job or a proper toilet but the EFF was ready to rescue them.
The party has promised to do away with the tender system in the municipalities that it will be controlling and insource all the work, meaning they will hire more people instead of relying on private companies to provide services.
The EFF says it is targeting the eastern Free State in the forthcoming local government elections because it has seen the widespread collapse of systems and services in that area.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to kick off his Free State campaign for the local government elections in Maluti-a-Phofung this Sunday.
He will take his campaign mission to Mangaung on Monday morning before winding off in Matjhabeng in the afternoon.
