Mandela a reason for some to go to vote

BEKKERSDAL residents Thembi Dlamini, a street sweeper, and Rose Sithole, a hawker, are going to vote mainly for the sake of Nelson Mandela.

Both bemoaned the lack of service delivery in Westonaria.

They have lived through the violence that has flared up intermittently since October. Little has been done to improve their lives and working conditions, they said.

Dlamini refused to shake Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s hand when he and other justice cluster ministers visited Bekkersdal to ensure elections can take place without violent incidents.

“Where were you when our township was on fire? Why do you only come now to canvass for votes?” Dlamini asked.

Dlamini, wearing an ANC T-shirt with the words “Nelson Mandela – The icon of our Struggle” on the front and bearing his face, later told The Star she refused to shake Mthethwa’s hand because “when we were fighting, they refused to come here and listen to our problems”.

However, she said she would vote. “I am going to vote for Nelson Mandela. Our father fought for us, he spent 27 years in jail,” Dlamini said.

It seemed clear that despite her unhappiness with ANC councillors in her area, Jacob Zuma and the ANC would get her vote.

As for Sithole, Zuma need not doubt her support.

“I am going to vote for the ANC. I am getting a childsupport grant for my children aged 16 and 10 because of the ANC,” Sithole said.

Gilbert Mashaba, 18, a member of the “born free” generation, saw things differently. He said the scales would always be tipped against them when it came to services.