By Luvuyo Mjekula
Democratic Alliance (DA) National Council of Provinces member and deputy Eastern Cape leader, Mlindi Nhanha, cast his special vote at the St Aiden’s Voting Station in Makhanda on Monday morning.
Nhanha, a resident of Makhanda, was emotional after making his mark at 9am. “For me at a personal level, this is quite an emotional vote, on two fronts – it’s the first time that I’ve come to vote without my family, because of work commitments and related stuff. My wife and kids could not be with me to come and vote as we normally do as a family.
“But secondly, it’s an emotional vote for me because I really think this is a turning point in the history of our country. It’s now or never. If we can’t vote out the ANC in these elections, we can kiss goodbye the South Africa we have known as our country,” said Nhanha.
He was confident the DA would do “very well” in the elections. “All indications are that the ANC will be below 50%, which is very good for our democracy.”
Nhanha told Grocott’s Mail his party looks forward to a coalition government after 29 May “in which the DA will be an anchor tenant in that government”.
“My vote really means that for once in the 30 years of our democracy, I can be able to contribute in a smallest way with my vote in ensuring that the will of the people is being recognized in our country, that for the first time in the 30 years of our democracy the ANC will be without a majority and the future of our kids will at least be secured.
“I fear the day that my children will emigrate to other countries because of the dire situation in our country. So, this vote for me is an affirmation of our democracy, and I have no doubt that millions and millions of South Africans will follow suit and vote right in these elections, and voting rights means voting for the Democratic Alliance.”
Nhanha’s message to the voting South African public was that even though there are hundreds of political parties contesting the 29 May election, only the ANC and the DA stand any chance of winning it. “This election is very clear – South Africans have a binary choice. This is a two-horse race, between the ANC and the DA, the largest opposition party in our country. It is only the DA, through its numbers, that can pose a threat to the ANC’s dominance, and voters should understand that voting for the smaller parties, [is tantamount]to voting for the ANC, only through the back door.”
He said voting for the DA would be voting for progress, while voting for the ANC would set the country back five steps.
In the next few days, Nhanha will be in the OR Tambo District Municipality in the old Transkei, doing election work for the DA, until Sunday. “My duty will end probably around Sunday.”
