When news broke on Wednesday (November 3), that the result of the last voting station, Itireleng, was an outright win for Naeem Patel and the ANC, supporters were jubilant as the total number of votes in Ward 61 confirmed Naeem Patel and the ANC as the outright winners.
A motorcade was organised to go through the streets of Laudium and Erasmia, to celebrate Naeem’s win and to show that Naeem and the ANC would serve all who live within the area. The convoy of about 70 cars went through all parts of Laudium/Erasmia in a clearly celebratory mood and as a show of conciliation to all those who live in the area. The convoy even passed the homes of some of those who made negative remarks on social media, attacking Naeem and the ANC during the campaign and indicating that they would never win the elections. Even private security officers, and the police who were on duty that night, were greeted and thanked for serving the community. One of the team campaign members for Naeem Patel and the ANC, Ahmed Mohamed told the Laudium Sun, “We were all in a happy mood and there were many children accompanying their parents in the motorcade. There was hooting, there was laughter and there was fun. There was no malice intended and Naeem and the team made it very clear that he would now serve all residents. Hence, we even went past some of those critics who said Naeem would never win the elections so that they cannot say that we left their area out. I appeal to all not to associate yourselves to any negativity concerning our Councillor-elect. The elections have come and the elections have gone. There was some mud-slinging against Naeem and the team during the campaign, but let bygones be bygones. Naeem is now the Ward Councillor-elect for the area and he has pledged to serve all who live within. Let us support him and give him a chance to help us in making our area a better and safer place. Naeem is certainly a peoples’ person and has just given his support to a group of concerned residents who approached him, wanting to form a Residents’ Association in Ward 61.”
