ANC RECEIVES HUGE WELCOME IN NONGOMA

13 October 2013

The Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal, Cde Senzo Mchunu says the party is winning the hearts and minds of Nongoma and is in a better position to receive an overwhelming number of votes at the upcoming three by-elections in the area.

Mchunu was speaking during the door to door visits in Nongoma which saw the ANC leaders being warmly welcomed by thousands of people on Saturday and Sunday. The door to door visits which will culminate in a massive rally in Nongoma next Sunday were part of the preparations for the three by-elections scheduled for 23 October. "The support we have received in Nongoma in the past two days is amazing and we are confident that we will do well during the by-elections. The ANC is impressed with the levels of political maturity that exist in Nongoma today," said Mchunu.

Thousands of people from other political parties such as the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) had moved to the ANC in the past few months, Mchunu said. "When we welcomed high profile people from the IFP in August, we publicly said that we were expecting more people to follow them and we were right. During our door to door visits today and yesterday, scores of people told us they have switched to the ANC. We feel humbled by these developments as this means that Nongoma will never be the same again. We will make sure that the ANC councillors the people of Nongoma will elect work well with the provincial government to ensure that there is service delivery in this area," Mchunu said.

In August, the ANC welcomed IFP Ward 10 councillor at Nongoma Municipality and the IFP constituency chairperson in Nongoma, Cde Thami Nyembe, IFP ward 11 councillor in Nongoma Municipality and IFP constituency secretary in Nongoma, Cde Nhlanhla Mthembu, IFP ward 5 councillor in Nongoma Municipality and IFP additional member in the Nongoma constituency, Cde Sithembiso Gumbi and IFP Youth Brigade chairperson in Nongoma constituency, Cde Sithembiso Mdiniso.

The arrival of new high profile members from the IFP had changed the political landscape in Nongoma, said ANC Provincial Secretary, Cde Sihle Zikalala. "The arrival of these comrades from the IFP was a great move because scores of people who trusted them have also moved with them to the ANC. We are happy that all our ANC campaigners have been warmly welcomed during door to door visits and we are confident that we will win the by-elections. To us as the ANC, the by-elections are crucial as they will have an impact on Nongoma Municipality," said Zikalala.

Among the ANC leaders who conducted door to door visits in Nongoma were ANC NEC members, Cde Nathi Mthethwa and Cde Bheki Cele, ANC provincial Deputy Chairperson, Willies Mchunu and ANC provincial Secretary, Cde Sihle Zikalala. Cde Mthethwa urged people of Nongoma to go out in their numbers to vote for the ANC during by-elections, saying that there would be no intimidation.

Statement issued by Sihle Zikalala, ANC KwaZulu Natal, October 13 2013

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