Lindiwe Ntsontso from Kimberley Northern Cape Picture: Olebogeng Molale
When 75-year-old Lindiwe Ntsontso heard that president Cyril Ramaphosa was coming to her town, Galeshewe in Kimberly, she knew she could not miss the opportunity to meet him. And maybe even get to talk to him about the service delivery problems they face. She could hardly believe it on October 1, when she found herself so close to the president that she could not only talk to him, but she could reach out and kiss him. And so, she did.
“I was over the moon to have met the President, especially because I am also a member of the ANC, and I have been a member for many years. I am used to seeing him on the news, but it was my day to even touch and kiss him. I am very happy. It was like a dream come true,” said Ntsontso.
Ramaphosa was in Kimberly in the Northern Cape over the weekend as part of the Letsema campaign to win votes for the 2024 elections. During the visit, he met and kissed community members.
Although the kiss brought Ntsontso joy, she wants more from the president than a meeting of lips.
“Now is that after the president saw our living conditions, he should make sure that our lives are improved. He promised to come back to Kimberley soon, and I hope he will keep his promises in terms of building decent houses and fighting against poverty, crime, and drug in our community.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Lindiwe Ntsontso Picture: Supplied
Ramaphosa agreed with the residents that service delivery needed to be prioritised.
"The Northern Cape has great potential when it comes to renewable energy, so we are also calling on businesses in this province to consider investing in renewable energy, because we know that this province is very big. And there is land to create solar panels for the generation of power. We cannot leave service delivery behind. To get investors, we should also ensure that service delivery becomes a norm for our people it should not only happen leaders are visiting a particular place, but it should be an everyday thing for our communities," said Ramaphosa.