Durban - A former ANC Youth League leader in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday used a government event to call for young people to vote for the ANC, to win with an overwhelming majority.
Education MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane was addressing thousands of young people in Ilembe District Municipality, North Coast, who had attended a Department of Labour event to launch a training programme for young people.
“We have no doubt that it (ANC) will win with an overwhelming majority through your support,” said Dlungwane.
The event was also attended by Minister in the Presidency Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who also called for young people to vote in honour of ANC Struggle heroes who had died before voting for the first time in 1994.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant also attended.
The ANC was also endorsed by KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional Leaders chairperson Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza.
Dlungwane, the former ANCYL chairperson in the Moses Mabhida Region, said that while the government was continuing to deliver services, “you must continue supporting your government”.
“You support your government by voting for it. For us to be able to continue with the programme we are launching for you today, all of you must go all out to vote for your government on May 8,” he said.
Aviation and sea diving were among training programmes that were launched. They are sponsored by the Compensation Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and already more than 300 black young people are being trained.
Dlamini Zuma said the programme had the capacity to alleviate poverty and boost the country’s economy. She said the trainees had a responsibility to complete their courses without dropping out.
She called on young people to participate in the country’s affairs, as the likes of former ANC presidents Chief Albert Luthuli and OR Tambo had died before they could vote.
“Young people, it is your responsibility to vote. So we would like to see all of you voting so that these programmes can continue, and so that many more young people can have access to these programmes that we see today,” said Dlamini-Zuma.
Chiliza praised the government for transforming rural areas though skilling young people.
“We wish that, on May 8, all South Africans, including in rural communities, go out and vote to make sure that young people do not lose these opportunities. We have hope when the ANC is still in power,” he said.
However, he told Independent Media that he wasn’t calling for all amakhosi to vote for the ANC.
“Since South Africa is a free country, we cannot dictate to amakhosi which party to vote for,” he said.