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NMBM by-election sparks food parcel shenanigans

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Dear MyPE

The DA’s contestation of by-elections in wards where the ANC traditionally had strong support has placed them on the back foot.

Voters are delighted with the DA’s efforts to contest by-elections all over the province as they score food parcels from the ANC, who will stop at nothing to counteract the ever-increasing threat of the DA as the new government.

Social Development MEC, Nancy Sihlwayi, who has a notorious track record of having little regard for the difference between party and state, is again up to her food parcel shenanigans in exchange for support from voters.

In the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM), where a by-election will be held in Ward 30 (Veeplaas/Kwa-Magxaki) on 19 August 2015, Community Development Workers (CDW’s) have been conducting door-to-door campaigning.

MEC Sihlwayi has stated that her department will be “helping” the NMBM with service delivery as per a call by President Jacob Zuma as part of a Women’s Caucus programme during August, whereby food parcels will be handed out and cheques handed to SMME’s. Simply put, the Women’s Caucus is being used to channel funds to the metro during Women’s Month.

Last week Wednesday, I attended a Social Development programme in Stutterheim where, to my surprise, a group of ladies dressed in ANC Women’s League blouses were bussed in from Butterworth by MEC Sihlwayi’s department. Once again the MEC blurred the lines between an ANC-rally and a state department’s programme.

In a fair society, the mandates of party and state are kept separate. The DA believes that equal opportunity for all brings about real freedom. Preying on the poor with cheap tricks can only fool the electorate for so long.

What the ANC should be doing is providing people with real dignity and real hope by implementing policies that will create jobs to alleviate hunger.

Regards

Veliswa Mvenya

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