MANGAUNG, FREE STATE – Many Free State residents say that President Cyril Ramaphosa is the only reason they will vote for the African National Congress (ANC).
Some are convinced that he will deal with corruption, others have been made to believe that he will fire corrupt and incompetent officials after the elections if they vote ANC.
He appeared to have chosen the most challenging spots that included a collapsed municipality and aspiring but disillusioned youth and landowners.
The president concluded his two-day blitz tour on Sunday night.
The ANC was founded in Mangaung. The party’s highest outcome in the Free State was 80% in 1999.
In 2014, it had gone down to 69%. Resident Hopolang Disapelo said that rampant corruption is their main concern.
“Many are discouraged by the corruption in the ANC.”
Another ANC supporter Maseeiso Nyama knows people on the party candidate list who have failed in office.
“We’re told that if we don’t vote for him, the ANC will lose.”
But like many others, Nyama still believes in the president.
“After the ANC wins, he will fire the cabinet.”
Free State attained the best matric results last year.
But many people stay in informal settlements as the province struggles with migration to urban areas
