Ramaphosa receives warm welcome in KZN ahead of manifesto launch

African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is humbled at the reception he and the governing party have received in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) ahead of the ruling party’s manifesto launch on Saturday.

This follows reports that the province will be hostile to him after the formation of the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party by former President Jacob Zuma, who has been campaigning hard in his home province of KZN ahead of the 2024 elections.

WARM RECEPTION FOR RAMAPHOSA IN KZN

“The reception of people of this province to the ANC is more than warm. You can just feel the heartbeat of the support that the ANC has. I think the ANC is ready to take the province by storm,” said Ramaphosa to SABC News.

He said the issue of tribalism does not bother him because the people of KZN are part of South Africa, and all of us should feel proud of being South Africans first.

ALSO READ: MK party’s target of a two-thirds majority is a pipe dream – Mbalula

ANC EXPECTS A FULL MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM

“Thereafter say yes, I speak Venda, and somebody else speaks Zulu, and that, in itself, is the beauty of what we should see in all of us as South Africans,” he said.

At least 66,000 ANC supporters are expected to fill the Moses Mabhida stadium, which recently hosted the Economic Freedom Fighters launch manifesto.

ANC SETS ITS SIGHTS ON KZN AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

The ANC has dubbed its manifesto launch Mayihlome, a Zulu word that means “Let’s be armed.” Party leaders led by Ramaphosa have been mobilising support in the province this week.

Like some of the country’s top parties, the ANC has its sights set on KwaZulu-Natal. The province also draws the most significant number of ANC members. eThekwini metro police spokesperson Boysie Zungu says metro police officers will be deployed around the stadium to monitor traffic.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY GCINA NTSALUBA