Doreen Mokgolo
The ANC has accepted the outcome of the elections with its secretary general saying the party will study the outcome of the elections and devise new strategies.
“We are blown but not out, we are still standing and we will come back,” said secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Sunday.
The ANC secured just 40.2% of the vote, down from over 57% it won during the 2019 elections.
He said pointing fingers and entertaining rumours that some ANC leaders in KwaZulu-Natal were working with the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party leading up to the ANC’s poor performance would not help the party.
Mbalula blamed the poor performance on low voter turnout, water shortages, load shedding and negative reporting from the media.
The ANC managed to retain control of five provinces – the Free State, Limpopo, North West, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga – but failed to win an outright majority in the Northern Cape where the party obtained 49.35%, and in Gauteng where it received 34.8%.
Their worst performance was in KZN, where the ANC lost the province to Jacob Zuma’s MK party.
Speaking at a media briefing at the national results centre in Gallagher Estates, Midrand, Mbalula said the results sent a clear message to the ANC.
“The results also show people’s concerns about shortcomings in government and delivery,” he said.
Mbalula said the results also show that the people want a coalition government and confirmed that discussions with various political parties have started.
“Coalitions have brought instability to this country but it is the will of the people and that is what we must accept.
“We are open to engaging all political parties including the MK, even though we have our own reservations about them.
“If you come to us with a demand that [President Cyril] Ramaphosa must resign, that is not going to happen, you must forget it. No political party will dictate to us like that,” he said.
Picture above: Fikile Mbalula.
Image source: X
