E Cape DA leadership drums up support in rural areas

The DA’s Eastern Cape leadership used Heritage Day to rally support in the rural areas.

The party went to Tsazo village in Engcobo, where party members interacted with the villagers to celebrate the day.

Provincial party leader and premier candidate Nqaba Bhanga said the largest part of his campaign was based on concentrating on rural villages. He said the Eastern Cape was still a largely rural province and any government that wanted to develop the province had to develop its rural villages.

“We came here to celebrate Heritage Day but also to service this community by coming here to listen to them telling us about their daily struggles.

“We chose Engcobo because there is still a notion out there that rural areas are not hit by crime. This place has proven that to be untrue. Just a few months ago a police station was raided by criminals,” he said.

Bhanga first conducted a door-to-door campaign before going to a tent where he addressed members of the community.

The DA has been struggling to penetrate rural South Africa but has made some strides in the former Transkei, where it has managed to have 42 councillors elected.

However, in Engcobo municipality the DA occupies only one PR seat out of 39.

Bhanga was accompanied by DA constituency leaders Phesheya Kwenciba, Chantel King and Vusumzi Magwebu.

King said the visit was a first for Bhanga in his role as the party’s premier candidate, and was a sign of his commitment to growing the DA in rural areas.

She said rural people were under immense financial pressure from crime and unemployment. She said the people of Engcobo faced a lack of services .

“We’ve spoken to the people and we have been well received. This will not be the last time we come here,” said King.

Just a few months ago a police station was raided by criminals