Durban — The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is pulling out all the stops in a bid to defend the province ahead of the all-important national general elections later this month.
On Sunday, the ruling party dispatched Public Works Minister Sihle Zikalala – its former KZN premier and high-ranking member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – to Inanda, north of Durban.
Zikalala, who is also the former chairperson of the ANC in KZN, said he was confident of an outright election victory.
“People have shown confidence in us because we have kept the promises that we have made to them. While we celebrate all our achievements, we are also aware that a lot still needs to happen in our quest to improve the lives of all South Africans,” said Zikalala.
The event was hosted by the ANC eThekwini deputy regional secretary, Nkosenhle Madlala, to honour local heroes from Inanda and commemorate 30 years of democracy.
Zikalala said the ANC would disappoint the naysayers who were predicting a drop in support to below 50% for the ruling party.
“It is not the first time the so-called election polls have made predictions of the ANC dropping below 50%. As we have done before, we will win the upcoming elections with a resounding victory.”
Zikalala said the ANC was fighting to rid the country of social ills, grinding poverty, and rampant corruption in government.
He urged residents to vote for the ANC in what promises to be hotly contested May 29 elections.
The entry of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), endorsed by former ANC and ex-state president Jacob Zuma, was expected to dent the ANC’s prospects at the polls.
However, Zikalala put on a brave front on Sunday, telling the crowd – mainly clad in ANC regalia – that he was unfazed by Zuma’s MKP.
“Many parties have peeled away from the ANC but we have survived. Nothing will change now. We will crush all the opposition including, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party.”
Several pre-election polls have painted a bleak poll outlook for the ruling party – predicting a dip to below 50% nationally, and in KZN, a province the party has governed with a tight grip.
In the 2019 national elections, the ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, mustered 57% of votes nationally and 54% in KZN. Of the 27.7 million registered voters, just more than 5.7 million are from KZN.
Opposition parties such as the IFP and the DA have banded together in a bid to topple the ANC from the political throne.
Among notable ANC leaders who hailed from Inanda were the founding president of the party, John Langalibalele Dube, founding member of the party Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
The ANC is expected to deploy its bigwigs to KZN as it ramps up its election campaign.
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