Pretoria - With the 2014 general elections less than a month away, President Jacob Zuma has urged the people of KwaZulu-Natal not to allow violence to return to the province.
Delivering a lecture during an event to honour him at the University of Zululand, in KwaDlangezwa at Empangeni on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, President Zuma called for political parties to work together to bring peace.
“We urge the political parties to work together and cooperate with the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure peaceful elections in the province … We should ensure that no more lives are lost. Everyone has a right to support a party of their choice. That is the freedom we fought for,” said the President.
His comments come as there have been reported incidents of political violence and loss of life recently.
South Africans take to the polls on 7 May 2014 for the fifth national general elections.
These historic elections take place during the 20th anniversary of freedom from apartheid.
President Zuma reiterated that the country has a good story tell since the dawn of democracy.
“We are celebrating 20 years of extending basic services to all our people, millions of whom had never had these services before. Many villages and townships now boast electricity, water, sanitation, clinics and better schools. Broader than this, we are in essence celebrating our unique Constitution, which enshrines socio-economic rights,” said President Zuma.
While South Africa has a good story to tell, President Zuma said that the work was not yet complete.
“We still have to work harder than before to break the back of poverty, inequality and unemployment,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
