SCORES of people from the community of Mfuleni in Cape Town are waiting patiently for the arrival of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who started with an election campaign about 100km away in Atlantis earlier this morning.
The residents of ward 114 started gathering at the sports grounds as early as 10am.
They were kept entertained by the revolutionary songs pumping out of the huge speakers mounted on the two ANC-branded bakkies.
Just minutes after 1pm, a leader of the ANC announced on the loudspeaker that Ramaphosa was on his way.
"The president is closer to here now. We ask with due respect that you become patient," the man said to some heckling.
He told the crowd that the fact that they had waited for so long was a sign that they trusted the ANC.
"It is clear that you put trust in the ANC. There is patience in the struggle," he said before loud music again pumped out of the loudspeaker.
Apart from some clapping here and there by some in the crowd, there was a handful who danced to the revolutionary songs.
Resident Thembela Myoyo said he came to hear the promises the government would be making this time around.
"I want to hear for myself the promises they will make. I am wondering if the promises will be fulfilled," Myoyo said.
He said despite the three-hour wait, he was hoping to hear what Ramaphosa would say about job creation.
The ward was controlled by the ANC in the local government term ending on November 1.
ANC candidate Mongezi Madikane, who will replace Themba Honono, will battle it out with other candidates from the ANC, EFF, DA and other parties, as well as three independent candidates.
"This is the stronghold of the ANC," a confident Madikane told Independent Media.
Community members have listed housing, blocked drains, potholes, lack of sports facilities and unemployment as priorities in the ward.
The area is among those that saw informal settlements mushrooming when Covid-19 broke out last year.
Political Bureau