Durban - The DA is dispatching its former leader Tony Leon to KwaZulu-Natal as part of the opposition party’s final push to garner votes for the forthcoming elections.
Leon will on Tuesday campaign in Durban’s predominantly Indian areas such as Phoenix and Chatsworth.
DA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango said Leon’s campaign in the province was crucial.
“Any member who is campaigning is important. Due to time constraints he will only be in Chatsworth and Phoenix. He needs to be in other areas outside KZN,” said Mncwango.
Mncwango said the party had realised that it could increase its support due to former president Jacob Zuma no longer being at the helm of the ANC.
“Those who have historically voted for the ANC will be scattering their votes to different parties, but we keep pushing our campaign as you cannot guarantee that they will vote for the DA,” he said.
IFP election committee chairperson Albert Mncwango on Sunday asked the party’s supporters to each convince 100 people every day to vote for it.
The IFP hoped to use its Sizonqoba rally in Ulundi, Zululand, on Sunday to woo voters. Mncwango said all 500000 card carrying members should use the remaining days vigorously.
“Talk to people who do not embrace the IFP, because they will be willing to listen to our message,” he said.
Political parties have rolled out their heavyweights to campaign in KZN. President Cyril Ramaphosa, the EFF’s Julius Malema, the DA’s Mmusi Maimane and the IFP’s Mangosuthu Buthelezi have been in and out of the province while campaigning. ANC provincial spokesperson Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said her party would continue intensifying its campaign even in its strongholds as “there are issues that sometimes we (the ANC) are faced with”. She said the party would use the remaining days to tighten the screws.
She added that the party had also targeted predominantly white suburbs to engage with voters.
“We are welcomed by those communities, and we are doing quite well in those areas,” she said.
EFF spokesperson Chuma Wakeni said his party would end its election campaign on Tuesday by marching in Durban to encourage tolerance during the elections.
He said that older people were now accepting the party’s election message.
“We struggled in 2014 and 2016 to get support from adults.
“The research provided to us indicated that older people and women are now also supporting the EFF. We appreciate the sudden U-turn."
Both the ANC and EFF have their campaign closing rallies in Joburg on May 5.
Political Bureau
