ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa attends the African National Congress party manifesto launch in Durban, South Africa on Saturday, February 24, 2024. Photo: Leon Sadiki/Bloomberg via Getty Images
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said at the weekend that he had no problem with beneficiaries of the R350 Social Distress Relief Grant who decided to use the grant to buy beer because “they are our people”. No, I quipped.
Mr Ramaphosa made the comments on Saturday at a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium during the launch of the ANC's manifesto for this year's elections. According to recent opinion polls, the ruling party's approval rating may fall below 50% in the May 29 vote.
But party supporters flocked to the stadium in their thousands despite the scorching heat, and hundreds had to be allowed onto the pitch as the stadium reached capacity. Water became the most needed item as the party was unable to provide enough water for the people in the stadium.
The crowd bathed the stadium in a sea of ANC black, green and gold. A group of supporters marched through the stadium holding mock coffins with the words “Rest in Peace MK Party” and “Rest in Peace Zuma” written on them. This is a dig at former ANC president Jacob Zuma's newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which gained momentum in 2016. KwaZulu-Natal.
The controversial new party, which takes its name from the ANC's military wing in the fight against apartheid, stole votes from the Inkatha Freedom Party and the ANC in the recent KwaZulu-Natal by-election, leading to criticism from critics. shocked.
On Saturday, former Umkhonto Wisizwe veterans made their presence felt at the ANC's manifesto launch in military uniform. In a move clearly aimed at strengthening the ANC's ownership of the name, veterans were invited on stage to sing and dance to struggle songs.
MK veterans have shown strong support for Zuma in the past, and in 2021 sought to “protect” him after the Constitutional Court sentenced him to 15 months in prison for failing to comply with a summons to appear. He has shown strong support for Mr. Zuma, such as by being dispatched to his Nkandla residence. Commission of Inquiry into the capture of Abumi by Zondo.
President Ramaphosa drew loud cheers from the crowd when he announced during his manifesto that beneficiaries would continue to receive the R350 Social Distress Relief Grant introduced by the government to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ta.
His announcement comes after ANC supporters told Ramaphosa during a campaign in Umlazi on Friday: “Uramaphosa uyamuthanda uhhlalela, uwere amunike y R350'' (Ramaphosa loves the unemployed, just give them R350). The ceremony was held the day after the ceremony was serenaded with the song “Just Give”.
At a manifesto event on Saturday, Prime Minister Ramaphosa said the finance minister was working with the social development minister on the possibility of increasing the R350 monthly stipend.
“We will use the R350 grant as a mechanism towards the phasing in of basic income support. This is the R350 that others did not want, so why give this R350 when you are making the public dependent on it? Some asked,” he said, criticizing his ANC political opponents.
“This R350 is working. It's helping the community, some people are using R350 to buy food, some are using R350 to go look for work, some are using R350 to start a business. Some people are, yes, so some people go buy beer, but they’re still our people.”
Mr Ramaphosa said the ANC was working hard to regain the trust and confidence it had lost from some sections of the electorate. He said that despite its shortcomings, no other organization had the experience, knowledge, leadership and capacity of the party that had ruled South Africa since the fall of white apartheid rule 30 years ago.
“That is why we are the only organization that can take South Africa forward. If we have learned anything, it is not only that we have learned from our mistakes, but also that we have learned from our experiences. We are an organization that has been led by giants like Nelson Mandela. Let all the other political parties point out the giant leaders they have had. They can't even count more than four.”
“We count them all, from John Langaribarere Dube to Mandela, Oliver Tambo to Moses Mabhida, and they all shared their experiences and knowledge with us.”
He said the ANC would nominate hard-working party members as public representatives after the election, and all would be held to a high standard of accountability in the spirit of “batu pere” (people first).
“The people will work in the next government. There is no place for those who want to be careerists, those who want to be corrupt. There is no place for those who want to be sectarian. They do not belong to the ANC, and some of them have left of their own accord. We have seen that,” Ramaphosa said.
