President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday took his #BellyMustFall walk to Mitchells Plain, but not everyone was impressed.
Starting at 5am, the prez, accompanied by about 100 residents and members of the ANC, walked for six kilometres from Lookout Hill Khayelitsha to the Rocklands Civic Centre.
Innie Plein, Ramaphosa took the time to greet school principals, children and residents still dressed in their pyjamas and even hugged an auntie leaning over a wall along Spine Road.
Some people took to social media to complain that Ramaphosa was only walking on the Cape Flats to score votes for next year’s general elections.
On the Facebook page, “Waar brandit inni Plain”, Marvin Moni wrote: “How can he be President but there was no public vote for him. Dis als om votes te kry, na die votes gaan hy niks votes vat nie. Waarheid.”
Heather Daniels said Ramaphosa’s walkabouts won’t solve the country’s problems.
“Walking about is not getting the unemployment rate lower, is not making basic foodstuff cheaper and certainly Metrorail trains are not running on time,” she said.
But Shirley Hendricks Theunissen defended the prez, saying: “At least the man is trying, give him a chance. Have * ever seen Zuma walking around in our ghetto areas. U ppl just wanna complain and judge.”
Ashley Potts, Deputy Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum, also joined the walk.
“The walk was an amazing wake-up for leaders out there, the seat that you hold is not just a title, you need to be with the people who voted you in,” Potts said.
Ramaphosa previously said he wants people to lead healthier lifestyles and urged them to start walking.