AZAPO Takes Election Campaign To Streets of Kliptown

Sthembiso Sithole

Residents of the ANC run informal settlement complain of such toilets.

AZAPO has told Kliptown residents that their vote on the May 18 municipal elections should be a protest against the current leaders in their community.

The party promises to improve the poor service delivery by increasing job opportunities and providing adequate houses with running water and electricity. Kliptown, Soweto, is a squatter camp where many residents have complained of a lack of service delivery and inadequate housing without proper sanitation and electricity. On Freedom Day, 27 April, AZAPO leaders went on a campaign in the area.

A man who identifies himself as Mfundisi Masithe who is the party’s candidate in ward 19 says AZAPO plans to improve lives in the area.

“We are going to [provide] change in ward 19. As AZAPO we need to take back power to the people. What we have seen since 1994 is that people have grievances. We are sick and tired of the issue of tenders, corruption, jobs for friends. This is our time to bring change to Kliptown. We need our people to get free education, transport to school, houses, clean water and toilets.”

More than twenty families often have to share a single toilet in Kliptown.

Thembi Nkosi who moved to the informal settlement three years ago says she is worried about safety as power cables aren’t adequately connected.

AZAPO on a recruitment drive in Kliptown, Soweto.

“Let us have houses with electricity that is connected to each and every house. Because currently we use electricity that is connected in more than six houses using one cable. It is not safe that is why shacks burn every now and then.”

AZAPO’s Gender and Women’s Affairs Secretary, Antoinette Manku Somo, says residents need to understand how democracy works.

“People need to change. We know that they have been voting for the ruling party, but they must change because there is nothing that the ANC has done for them,” says Somo.

Most residents welcomed the door to door visits, but there were others who shut their doors to AZAPO and questioned the change the party promises to bring. Those whose houses couldn’t be visited were given pamphlets on the side of the road stating all the promises of the political organisation.