Durban — The uMkhonto WeSizwe Party has vowed to end the DA’s dominance in the predominantly Indian region of Chatsworth, Durban.
The MKP’s regional leadership and its local members descended on the region on Wednesday doing door-to-door campaigns for votes. Armed with T-shirts and pamphlets, the party volunteers spent the day conveying the party’s political message to residents, mostly targeting Indian community members. The drive ended in a mini rally at Mobeni Heights Hall.
Speaking to the Daily News after the drive, the Naidoo-Makhaye Zone co-ordinator Fatima Mohammed told the paper that the MKP would end the DA’s dominance in Chatsworth. She said the DA had been dominant in the region, but since the formation of the MKP, the winds of change had blown in the direction of her party.
“We have worked the ground and the Indian community is accepting us well wherever we visit them. So, on May 29 we will bury the DA in Chatsworth and take a two-thirds majority of the votes,” said Mohammed.
Her zone incorporates all eight wards in Chatsworth, including the predominantly black section of Welbedacht.
The DA’s provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson, laughed off MKP’s claim that it would capture Chatsworth from it, saying the party was daydreaming.
“Just like they are dreaming of getting a two-thirds majority, so they are dreaming and delusional of dominating Chatsworth. The DA has a very strong record of fighting for the people of Chatsworth and under our premier candidate, Chris Pappas, we will continue to prioritise development and job creation for not only this community, but everyone across the province,” said Macpherson.
Chatsworth has been the DA’s stronghold and in the 2021 local government elections, it made a clean sweep, taking the majority of the wards, including Welbedacht, from the ANC.
The rally was also addressed by the recently expelled party youth league leader Bonginkosi Khanyile, who proved to still be the youth’s favourite and received a resounding welcome.
Khanyile said the MKP belonged to all the people. He emphasised the importance of getting a two-thirds majority so that the constitution of the country could be changed.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial co-ordinator Nhlanhla Ngidi also emphasised the importance of winning the election with an overwhelming majority, saying if the MKP failed to do so, the levels of poverty among black people would double or triple. He sent a strong warning to white landowners that under an MKP government they would have to hand a big portion of land back to the black people or face eviction.
Ngidi, touted as the premier candidate, also warned of divisions among the party members, urging them to focus on winning the election next month and see to other things later.
He was apparently referring to the elective conference which the party had announced that it would be held after elections to avoid divisions.
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Daily News