ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has firmly condemned any threats of violence against the Electoral Commission of South Africa, emphasizing that such actions are counterproductive.
He urged individuals to raise their concerns through proper channels instead. “There are many things that, sitting here, I am not happy about, and that happened on the election,” Mbalula stated, stressing the importance of constructive criticism over violence.
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Mbalula made it clear that any political party demanding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s resignation should “forget about it.” He argued that Ramaphosa’s leadership was steadfast and necessary, particularly during challenging times.
“Cyril is a no-go area. You come to us with that demand, forget. Ramaphosa must resign? Why did he stand as a president? These are bad times,” Mbalula asserted.
He also highlighted ongoing discussions with other political parties, noting that the way forward would be determined by Monday and presented to the NWC and NEC by Tuesday, with premiers announced by Thursday.
Mbalula acknowledged several challenges that contributed to the ANC’s poor showing in the elections, including low voter turnout, the water crisis in KZN, and issues with load shedding.
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He also pointed out that former President Jacob Zuma remained a significant factor, particularly in regions like Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and KZN. “We never underestimated Zuma; we knew he would get support in these areas,” he said, adding that the ANC had invested substantial time and resources in these regions.
Despite some polls suggesting that the ANC would fall below 50%, Mbalula denied downplaying these predictions. He admitted that some polls were accurate but felt they couldn’t rely on others.
He noted that their internal polls indicated a 43% support level. Mbalula attributed the lower-than-expected results to voter turnout and expressed confidence in the ANC’s ability to bounce back and better serve South Africans in the future.
