By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
The ANC is mounting its biggest political campaign – even bigger than the 1994 campaign – to retain power in KwaZulu-Natal.
Starting on Sunday night, the ANC has marshalled to Durban its entire national executive committee, the leadership of Cosatu, the SACP, the ANC Youth League, the ANC Women’s League, the Veterans League, the SA National Civic Organisation and the Young Communist League.
Party secretary Fikile Mbalula said: “This intensive election campaign trail is both unprecedented and an innovation.
“This dynamic phase of our campaign has been marked by the inspiring presence of ANC stalwarts – former president Thabo Mbeki, former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, former deputy president DD Mabuza and former treasurer Mathews Phosa – joining forces with our dedicated volunteers.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who spent an entire week in the Western Cape, another highly contested province, flew to Durban to lead a meeting of the extended NEC.
All indications are that KZN will be governed through a coalition, with the IFP and DA coalition having the upper hand in by-elections for the past two years.
The ANC won just 41.4% of the KZN vote in the 2021 municipal elections but have since lost more wards and municipalities to the resurgent IFP.
The ANC is mounting its biggest campaign to retain power in the province after years of bad governance that has left major cities in a state of decay.
Delivery of key basic services in cities like Durban and Pietermaritzburg have all but collapsed, with residents in both cities battling to get drinking water.
In parts of the eThekwini Metro, communities have been without water for months, while tourism is losing billions of rands because of the presence of dangerous levels of E. coli at Durban beaches.
In the ANC’s biggest ward of KwaXimba outside Durban, residents have been without piped water for over two years.
Last month, Ramaphosa spent a weekend campaigning in the province and heard people complaining about lack of water, jobs and crime.
The battle for control of KZN has also been complicated by the arrival of Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto Wesizwe party which could be the kingmaker in the province.
Pictured above: ANC deputy secretary Nomvula Mokonyane leads ANC volunteers in a rural door-to-door campaign.
Source: X
