Promises, promises as politicians slug it out in Durban election debate

Politicians were given a chance to tell Durban residents how they will change SA should they win the 2019 election.

Politicians from the ANC, EFF, DA, NFP and IFP participated in an election debate held by eNCA  at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday evening.

ANC provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala, DA KZN premier candidate Zwakele Mncwango, NFP leader Zandile Myeni, IFP KZN provincial secretary Velenkosini Hlabisa and EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza took part in the debate.

Here are some of the issues the politicians touched on:

Sihle Zikalala (ANC)

"We are committed to service delivery. While there are many protests in other areas, in KZN, protests aren't that high. There are also areas that now have universal coverage of electricity.

"We have a comprehensive plan for every district, especially when it comes to basic services. When we talk about roads, we tar roads that are even deep and rural. Those roads have been tarred by the ANC."

Zwakele Mncwango (DA)

"We strongly believe that it is high time South Africans who are tired of corruption will vote DA because the DA has a plan to beat corruption, create jobs, ensure we have honest and professional police, and speed up basic public service.

"South Africans have to ask themselves whether they want to keep the lights on or off. The current government is switching lights off with load-shedding. Only the DA has a plan to produce electricity for all South Africans. Under (President Cyril) Ramaphosa there will be no change."

Zandile Myeni (NFP)

"The NFP is the only party that can provide clean governance. We have ruled in Zululand, where we managed to get clean governance and made sure that people got service delivery.

"Take into consideration that some of these parties that are asking you to vote for them have been in government for more than 25 years. It is up to them (the voter) to change the status quo."

 Velenkosini Hlabisa (IFP)

"Our message is clear, trust us to make KZN work again. The 8th of May is the time that our people must speak loud and clear, that the party that has rendered our economy to a state of collapse and entangled in state capture must be given a red card."

Vusi Khoza (EFF)

"The unity you speak of is fake unity. The freedom you speak about is fake freedom. You cannot claim to have freedom as long as the African people are landless and not in the mainstream of the economy. Without land and economic freedom, what life is that? What freedom is this?

"What the ANC claimed to have brought, freedom, is not freedom. It is fake freedom that benefited them all along."