By Naseerah Nanabhai
23:04:2019

This election will be the most closely contested with the ANC hoping to regain some of the losses under the Jacob Zuma rule, the EFF hopes to extend its support base and the DA hopes to get more provinces under its belt. We continue our series of debates, with our guests,  MEC Ismail Vadi from the ANC, John Moody from the DA and Nazeer Paulsen from the EFF. Questions were posed to each guest on the panel and each was allowed the opportunity to respond to questions from each other.

MEC Ismail Vadi was asked to share what the ANC’s plan of action was, in terms of the upcoming elections, how the party planned to take the country forward and what the single most compelling reason was as to why South Africans should vote for the ANC. He responded saying that there were three big issues in this election campaign. The first was unemployment, poverty and job creation and the ANC had a clear plan in its manifesto on how to deal with this. Secondly, good leadership and many people were looking to Ramaphosa to take the country forward. Thirdly, the biggest aspect was the fight against crime and corruption. The ANC was capable of providing solutions to these problems.

John Moody from the DA was also asked what the one most compelling reason to vote for the DA was. His response was that the country was facing corruption within the government which needed to be turned the situation around. He added that there would be no investment in a country filled with corruption and a government unable to guarantee services such as electricity, water, etc. He said that the DA would ensure that there is at least one job in every home to combat the challenge of unemployment. The DA also aims to strengthen the police system and turning them into professional police service. The DA promised that the corruption within home affairs will be reduced and eliminated.

On the question of what made the ANC manifesto different from that of the DA, Ismail Vadi said that “the most important thing is the practical experience that the ANC has, we are in power for 25 years.” He further pointed out that the ANC had a very clear plan on the table – Cyril Ramaphosa received pledges of over 300 billion rands of investment at the investor conference last year which clearly disproved the idea of a failed economy. Instead, he said, it proves that investors did have confidence in the president. Research has shown that he is a popular leader and people see him as credible and competent giving the country the good leadership it is crying out for. He pointed out that the DA’s claim that they will have a job in every home holds no water as they have not been able to say how this will be done.

John Moody response to the question was that firstly the ANC was not the only party that was governing, as the DA governs provinces and 28 municipalities across the country and research had proved that the DA-governed better than the ANC. Under the ANC government, the country had gone from bad to worse and nothing was being done to change the status quo.

Nazeer Paulsen from the EFF joined the debate a little later. He outlined the single most compelling reason why South African should vote for the EFF. The overwhelming presence that the EFF has had in five years in government and working communities are acknowledged. From the start, the EFF was going out to townships and communities, thus their manifesto was a result of consultation with these individuals from communities, higher institutions and different sectors of society. It was not a manifesto created in a boardroom, but rather is a result of various consultation with many sectors of the South African society. And it important to note that 25 years into democracy our majority is landless as 80% of the land belonging to 10% of the people of the country.

Another question posed to ANC MEC Ismail Vadi was why should people vote for the ANC when all we’ve seen in the last 25 years was an economy downgraded to junk status, fuel prices constantly increasing, poor service delivery and continuous protests. Mr Vadi said there had been problems and challenges, but the DA and EFF had faced similar challenges too but what was important to note is that the ANC has recognised and acknowledged their mistakes and are prepared to do better. This election campaign started off as a three horse race, but at the moment it is in the lead by one horse which was the ANC.

Responding to MEC Vadi, John Moody said; “our polling has put the DA at 39% and the ANC at 41%, so I am not sure where he (Ismail) is getting his insight from”, clearly emphasising his lack of belief that this was now a one-horse race, with the ANC in the lead.

Nazeer Paulsen also responded by saying that the reality was that South Africa was the most unequal society in the world. Our party does not believe in the effectiveness of polling, rather we are on the ground and get our insight on voter predictions from there and therefore their figures were based on reality and not statistics. He said that the EFF found statistics to be less reliable than the experience of meeting people and understanding what they want and who they support.

On the issue of Helen Zille being more favoured by the members of the DA than Mmusi Maimane was, John Moodey replied that Helen Zille may be a little bit more popular than Musi Maimane because she was the Premier of the Western Cape the best-governed province in South Africa but that didn’t negate Maimane’s popularity nor the importance of having him in the party. He pointed out to the ANC that the DA was making a huge difference in the lives of our people and that whilst the ANC had governed 1 province and two metropolitans yet still had problems holding onto power. To the question on why the DA was so adamant that President Cyril Ramaphosa must answer questions about his son’s dealing with Bosasa, he responded; “we need to know the answer to the question of whether Cyril Ramaphosa got R500 000. It is an important question.”

Speaking on the issue of land, Ismail Vadi said; “the DA’s worse nightmare is the EFF. In Lenasia we have seen land evasions on a scale that we have never seen in the last 25 years. There have been about 25 000 informal houses that have been built all around the south of Johannesburg. The DA administration is unable to do anything about this because if they do, the EFF will remove them from power. This is the dilemma that the DA now faces with the EFF.”

Nazeer Paulsen was asked to respond to the fact that the EFF had completely opposing views to the DA. He said that the EFF was very different from the other political parties. With regards to the issue of land evasion, the EFF found it immoral to want people to move away when they are landless. He said that people needed to understand that those without land also needed a place to stay.

To combat the issues of crime and racism in our country, building the economy is seen as the answer, EFF’s manifesto states that economic growth will improve in the first 2 years to 6% and thereafter to 10%. Presently, it is below 1%. Nazeer Paulsen was questioned regarding how the EFF was planning on achieving this growth and if nationalisation and land expropriation would be the answers.  Nazeer blamed the less than 1% growth on the failure of the government to be innovative and to carry out the necessary things as required. He said that South Africa needed to look at inward industrialisation as well as using our vast mineral resources for the benefit of all citizens.

Ismail Vadi responded by saying; “moving from 1% to 6% is completely unachievable and unrealistic”. He went on to say that the EFF could not achieve the 6% mark in such a  short time period. He accused the EFF of wanting everything for free – land, electricity and basic services.  However, a country and an economy cannot be run on this basis. He pointed out that the EFF’s policies seem plausible but in reality, it is just a disruption of the politics of the country and disorderly conduct.

John Moodley from the DA responded to this by saying that, “moving from 1% to 6% is pie in the sky and will never happen” and to achieve anything close that what the EFF envisages, the basics must be corrected first. He agreed with Ismail that the EFF only wanted everything for nothing and that all they caused was chaos. He retorted saying that with the EFF in power we would probably go from 1% to -6%.

Speaking on the ANC’s perspective of the DA’s track record in the Western Cape, in terms of economic development and service delivery, Ismail responded that looking at the Johannesburg CBD, we see filth and disarray and falling structures. Looking at Tswana, we see that the predominantly White communities are benefitting whilst the township infrastructure was collapsing and in fact, the same can be said for the Western Cape. And the Western Cape’s economy is only half of Gauteng’s.

Nazeer Paulsen responded to the same question, by stating that, “it is important to note that Cape Town alone has 423 informal settlements” in which are shacks that people are living in and they might have access to water but not their own taps. He pointed out that people living in the Western Cape did so under harsh conditions.

John Moodley was asked to respond to the fact that the ANC has brought services such as water, electricity, roads and infrastructure to such a large amount of people in such a short time. To which he mentioned, people flock to where there are better opportunities, hence the occurrence of many informal settlements. He said that the deteriorating infrastructure in Johannesburg is a result of ANC mismanagement and corruption.

Nazeer Paulsen mentioned that the ANC started from a very low base and because they started from post-apartheid their efforts are noticed more. But they could have issues in the reduced tender process.

Ismail Vadi mentioned that much has been done by the ANC and much more will be done. “It is important to note that no one else will be able to equate to the ANC’s promotion of the ideals of freedom of religion and freedom of expression.” He pointed out clearly that South African lived in a very diverse country and were fortunate to practice religion freely, something that does not occur all over the world. And as Muslims in this country, we were privileged to a great extent and should appreciate this.

Nazeer Paulsen was asked if the EFF would respect the laws of the country after the elections if they are voted in as we have witnessed EFF members using violence in certain instances thus causing concern for others. His response was that the EFF was protesting against the presence of a corrupt president and this is where the violence started. He believed that the EFF did not give the impression of violence, despite many people thinking that.

John Moodley responded to this, by saying there was an absolute disregard of the rule of law by the EFF and that the majority of the land invaded in Lenasia belonged to the province. But the land evasion still occurred, despite the fact that this land belonged to the people.

Ismail Vadi explained that the EFF’s claim that the violence displayed by the EFF was due to the ANC is unsubstantiated. He said that the EFF was a party of violence, illegal conduct, disruption, racial profiling and racial intolerance. He also said that they do raise important issues, but the manner in which they raise them was incorrect and voters were tired of seeing this.

Each party representative was given a chance to give their closing statements as the debate came to a close.

Nazeer Paulsen mentioned that “the EFF had been peaceful at provincial and regional assemblies, whereas the ANC had disrupted these congresses. The ANC is a violent organisation who should not speak about violence.”

John Moodey stated that “the DA has been proven to govern better, they are also more transparent. The DA delivers to its people and is not involved in corruption. It is the only party that takes South Africa forward and hence voters should consider this.”

Ismail Vadi mentioned that “the DA is not the only party that can take the country forward. President Cyril Ramaphosa stands up as the best leader that South Africa has at the moment. He clearly displays competence, trustworthiness and integrity. On the 8th of May, the voters have no choice but to support Ramaphosa to take our country forward.”