With the EFF’s Ramaphoko and the ANC’s Boloko squaring off in today’s vote, political tensions rise in a ward long seen as an EFF stronghold.
EFF leader Julius Malema is hitting the campaign trail in Limpopo ahead of the ward 13 by-election in Polokwane.
But in the opposite corner, ANC heavyweight and Polokwane mayor Makoro John Mpe is out in support of the party’s candidate in what is seen as a crucial local poll.
By-election follows expulsion of EFF councillor
The EFF’s Mongatane Ramaphoko faces up against the ANC’s Mokgadi Boloko when ward 13 goes to the polls today.
The seat was left vacant after EFF councillor Mafiwa Leballo was expelled by the council after allegedly missing eight consecutive council meetings.
‘ANC is going to win’
Mpe said yesterday: “There are not two bulls in the kraal. It goes without saying that the ANC, the only political party in Africa that knows how to liberate people and change their lives for the better, is going to win this election.”
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Mpe claimed the ANC had built houses for people and restored their dignity.
‘Home of the EFF’
EFF provincial chair Lawrence Mapoulo said the ANC’s claims to have delivered services was irrelevant because “government services are there for all the people, not for the ANC to woo support for the elections”.
He said the EFF had been looking after pensioners in the ward in particular, getting them beds to sleep on.
Calling on all pensioners to register their names with the EFF, he promised that his party would “give them refrigerators to store their food”.
A resident, Jacob Selematsela, said: “This is the home of the EFF. I am baffled that the ANC is canvassing here.”
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