Jobs, crime-free community on the agenda for ANC’s Morris Ngabase

A family-friendly ward that offers job opportunities for residents living in the area.

This is Morris Ngabase’s plan after winning the by-election in Ward 20 in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

The ANC’s Ngabase, 52, said he was excited because residents finally had the councillor they deserved.

The position became vacant after fraudster Bongo Nombiba, a former ANC councillor, began serving his five-year sentence.

All four voting stations – Kwazakhele hostel hall, Kwazakhele High School, JK Zondi High School and Nkuthalo Primary School – were a hive of activity on voting day.

“It did not come as a surprise when I heard I won,” he said.

“If I had lost it would have been the first time that a candidate of the ANC had lost [in the ward] since 1994.”

Ngabase said even before the by-election, residents had congratulated him on winning.

“Leading up to Wednesday everyone told me I was going to win.”

He said he hoped to change people’s lives by getting them jobs at the nearby factories.

He also wanted to restore the community to the familyfriendly ward it once was.

“There is a lot of crime in the area and with police assistance and community involvement, I’m sure we can get those numbers down,” he said.

“I also want to assist women and the youth in helping them form their own co-operatives because if people are employed and have jobs crime does go down.”

Ngabase received an overwhelming 2,088 votes.

The party retained the seat it won in the 2016 municipal elections, with 66.65% of the votes cast compared with 72.24% in 2016.

Voter turnout was 36.21%. In the by-election, the UDM received 434 votes, EFF 215, DA 177, Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party 113, independent candidate Mfundo Ngcelwane 103 and ACDP 3.

There were 29 spoilt papers. In 2016, the ANC got 7,411 votes, the EFF 1,019, the DA 515, the UDM 177 and the ACDP 12.

ANC regional task team coordinator Luyolo Nqakula said the UDM had used underhand tactics during the campaign.

“The UDM and their candidate exploited a genuine plight in the KwaNdokwenza community by slaughtering a cow for three consecutive days.

“It’s devoid of morals and tantamount to bribery by feeding people with what were probably ill-gotten cows.

“We saw the cows and they were a health hazard judging from the way they looked.”

ANC provincial executive committee member Thabo Matiwane said during the campaigning residents had complained about people illegally occupying RDP houses.

He said Ngabase would also focus on this, along with water leaks and sewage issues.

ANC Eastern Cape spokesperson Gift Ngqondi said: “These results are an affirmation that the ANC remains the foremost choice and trusted party by most South Africans.”

He appealed to councillors to deal with all delayed matters before council.

UDM regional chair Mongameli Bobani said the party did not bribe residents but responded to their requests.

“We never bribed people but that is what the people requested from the UDM.

“The residents haven’t had meat for some time and KwaNdokwenza is one of the poorest communities in the metro.”

He congratulated the ANC, but added that the UDM’s numbers had grown since the 2016 municipal elections.