South Africa’s ruling party African National Congress’ (ANC) supporters arrived in their thousands at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg yesterday for a final pre-election rally.
Singing, dancing and donning the party’s colors and promotional regalia, supporters expressed optimism at their flag-bearer and sitting president Cyril Ramaphosa’s chances of winning the vote.
Several polls put the ANC’s support below 50% ahead of Wednesday’s polling day, raising the prospect that it might not be the majority party for the first time since winning control of the government when Nelson Mandela led it to victory in the first all-race elections that ended white minority rule in 1994.
Supporters attending the party’s final political rally at the iconic FNB Stadium however exuded confidence in an outright ANC victory.
“We came here and we are already celebrating because we see ANC is already going to win. We do not need much, just 50% and we will be alright. From the 30th (May) to the 2nd (June) it will all be evident,” said Violet Lenyane.
Others however expressed disappointment and stressed it is time the ANC actually delivered for the people of South Africa.
“We have been voting and voting but we see very little progress as the people, only a special few seem to benefit,” lamented Ntombizonke Biyela.
Some South African political commentators have started to speak about a possible government of national unity in a kind of repeat of what happened just after the apartheid system of white minority rule ended 30 years ago.