President Cyril Ramaphosa told journalists in Mamelodi that the ANC would attain more than 50% in the upcoming general elections.
Ramaphosa at the weekend said the majority of South Africans still believe in the movement.
“We have a very good democratic dispensation that needs to be supported by all South Africans young and old, especially young people who must take it upon themselves to register because it is about the future.
These coming elections are about the future of this country and the future lies in the hands of young people as they go forward.
“We want them to be interested, to be deeply involved in our democracy. Whoever they are going to vote for, it is important that they should be the authors of their own destinies and be able to say we are taking our destiny and our future into our hands,” the president said.
Ramaphosa also urged young South Africans who had not voted to take this opportunity seriously.
The country’s first citizen also said he was using the registration week to meet young people who were getting ready for their 2024 academic year.
“This is a great registration weekend because we get to have a chance to get into people’s houses as well as get to hear their challenges and problems, and one of the major problems here in Mamelodi is water.
“This is the municipality’s responsibility, as they are the ones that must be providing water, taking out refuse and just making sure that the township functions smoothly. I must say, I have not seen good governance here, since I walked around this township,” he added.
Ramaphosa committed that the national government would now take charge of the capital city’s water challenges moving forward.
Mamelodi resident Harmony Manyiki said that she would believe all the president has said when he delivers on his promises.
Manyiki said the ANC led-government had been at the helm for the past 30 years, adding that it was strange that they are only now realising their living conditions.
“These people are just politicking as always, they really don’t take voters serious, they are here now because it’s the elections. We are used to this (kind) of attention as residents, and we are going to see and hear more of these empty promises,” she said.
Various political party leaders were crisscrossing the country, visiting different registration sites at the weekend and trying to encourage young people to go out and vote.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, while inspecting the sites, said that young people should go out in numbers as the future of the country was in their hands.
“Here in eThekwini, numbers showed that young people came to register to vote. What was more exciting was seeing the political maturity that was displayed by different political parties on all registration sites,” the IFP president said.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont, speaking from his ward 117 at the Parkhurst Primary voting station, said South Africans had had enough of the current state of affairs they found themselves in.
“I am here in my branch to make sure that we get South Africans registered,” Beaumont said.
Cape Times