VOA标准英语 South African Parties Hold Final Rallies Before Wedn

Political parties in South Africa have held their final rallies as the nation prepares for national and provincial¹ elections on Wednesday.

As South Africa's electoral campaign entered its final days, more than 100,000 people filled two sports stadiums in Johannesburg to hear the leader of the ruling African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, promise to build a nation free of racial, cultural or religious discrimination.

"Comrades, we have achieved a lot over the last 15 years," said Zuma. "There is still much more to be done. Working together we can do more to build a better life for all."

He said the ANC's five priorities would be to improve education, health services and living conditions in rural areas and to combat crime and corruption³.
　
Former S. African President Nelson Mandela, center, is helped by Jacob Zuma, left and Mandela's former wife Winnie, in Johannesburg, 19 Apr 2009

Zuma's campaign was boosted by the presence of former president and anti-apartheid icon⁴ Nelson Mandela, who delivered a pre-recorded message.

"In the upcoming elections, let us remember our primary task. It is to eradicate⁵ poverty and ensure a better life for all," said Mr. Mandela.

The leader of the opposition⁶ Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, urged enthusiastic supporters Saturday to vote against the ANC, which has been tainted⁷ by corruption scandals and accusations⁸ of abuse of power.

"You will choose to defend the constitution because that is all we have to protect all of our people from the ANC's power abuse. You will choose to help fight corruption. You know that corrupt² leaders make poor people poorer," said Zille.

Leaders of the four month-old Congress of the People, or COPE, at a rally in the northeastern part of the country, criticized what they view as a decline of morality and ethics⁹ in the ANC-led government.

COPE was formed by disgruntled ANC leaders who split after the ANC obliged former President Thabo Mbeki to resign six months before the end of his term.

Another veteran opposition leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, urged supporters to return his Inkatha Freedom Party to power in eastern Kwa Zulu-Natal province.

"Will you go with what you know works? Or will you accept to eat more of the bitter meat of the ANC? This is the chance to inspire hope, my dear comrades, in Kwa Zulu-Natal. And things can change here and they must change," said Buthelezi.

Several-dozen parties are competing in Wednesday's elections to choose a new parliament and provincial assemblies.

The ANC is expected to win the vote, making Zuma the country's next president. But opposition parties are campaigning hard to gain control of some provincial assemblies and deprive the ANC of its two-thirds majority in parliament.

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

5 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

9 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。