Asanda likes the party but not the leader

Asanda likes the party but not the leader

It’s time to introduce the last of our three township reporters: Asanda Booi is 24 years old and works as an office administrator. She lives in Motherwell, one of the more developed townships in Port Elizabeth, with her mother and two sisters. Asanda will be joining us next week… but first we’ll let her tell you a bit about the dilemma she’s facing.

I’m excited about the elections but it’s difficult when your head and your heart are saying different things. My father was a loyal ANC supporter, before he died he used to always say ‘you must vote for the ANC’, but now he’s not here and I don’t feel it’s the same ANC anymore.

I’m disappointed. It has come to a point where there is a conflict between my values and how I see the ANC. I wouldn’t say the current leader is a good representative for South Africa and I’m worried about how the rest of the world will look at us, with Jacob Zuma as our President. I don’t think he’ll be a good role model for young boys, some of the things he says and does are quite sexist, and I’m concerned about how that could affect women. There is a part of me that still wants to believe in the ANC but… I just don’t know.

I would like to talk to someone who really believes in the ANC and who is able to overlook all the problems. The most important thing for me is to be clear about what I want and to know I am making the right decision.

Listen out next week for Asanda’s reports as she tries to decide whether to follow her head or heart. If you’ve got any questions for Asanda, post them here and she’ll respond. And You can see more pictures here.