Mokonyane confident ANC will retain Limpopo

The ANC’s first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane is confident the party will win the Limpopo province.

Mokonyane said at the weekend Limpopo was going to surprise doomsayers and produce a good turnout at the 29 May polls.

She was speaking during her visit to the ANC Norman Mashabane region, the biggest in the province in terms of membership.

“Mama Action”, as she is known to her followers, has been in Limpopo on the campaign trail since Thursday. “The ANC has launched what we call Mayihlome programme at Moses Mabhida [Stadium] in Kwa-Zulu-Natal recently,” said Mokonyane.

“During the [manifesto] launch, we agreed in principle that voter contact is the most important thing going to elections. We physically talk to people and explain our way forward.”

Mokonyane said party leaders were also visiting traditional leaders “because we believe they are the representatives of our communities”. She added that the door-todoor visits were to “tell them that there is only one ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa”.

The name of Nelson Mandela came up often during the visits, especially to senior citizens. Most of them said there was no doubt they were going to vote for the ANC.

“We are going to search for this emblem. We’ll make a cross next to Mandela’s younger brother [Ramaphosa]. He is the only one we know and we will not vote for any other party,” Koko Matsie Maenetja from Iteeleng Village.

Another resident Makobo Sebola said: “This party has built us houses, [given us] food parcels, reticulated water in our yards, electricity, bridges, roads, free education and food at schools and social grants.”