Zukile Majova
The ANC still believes that there is a silver lining to the dark cloud hovering over it.
The party has pinned its hopes of a comeback on the assumption that a deadlock in hung municipalities could force a rerun of elections in those municipalities.
This would give the party a chance to rally its troops and do whatever it takes to get their voters to the voting stations.
ANC support fell below 50% to 46% for the first time in democratic South Africa.
Making a thank you speech to ANC foot soldiers at University of Johannesburg’s Soweto campus, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the party’s recent losses were just a setback caused by party supporters who failed to go to the voting stations.
“Obviously there is a time frame for these negotiations to take place. And if those negotiations fail, the legislation kicks in. And then there might actually be another election to actually elect our people,” he said.
No party has won an outright majority in 66 municipalities across the country.
The ANC has become a political outcast in a hostile environment where most parties said they were not prepared to work with the ANC.
Ramaphosa called on ANC councillors to be ready to sit in opposition benches in some municipalities.
“We are not going to enter into coalitions at all costs. A number of parties are going around boastfully saying ‘We will not work with the ANC’.
“But who said we want to work with them?”
Cutting a confident figure on stage, Ramaphosa tried to reassure the crowd in front of him.
“It’s OK. We are not on our knees. And if comrades, if we have to be in opposition, then we will be in opposition.”
The party has received more than 10.6 million votes, secured more than 4,500 local government seats and achieved an outright majority in 167 councils.
“While we have seen a decline in our support, the reality is that the ANC is still, by a significant margin, the most popular political organisation in the country. Whether they like it or not, that is the reality.”
But even with a brave face, the ANC knows it cannot afford to let the R73 billion City of Johannesburg to fall into the hands of opposition parties.
Other hung metros include Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and eThekwini.
