ANC accepts voters' mandate in KZN with 'honour and great humility'

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will conduct a detailed analysis of the election results to determine whether the party lost any votes to other political parties.

This was revealed by ANC provincial deputy chairman Mike Mabuyakhulu during a media briefing held at the Electoral Commission results centre in Durban on Saturday.

“We will do a detailed analysis of the results and that analysis should tell us whether we have lost any votes to any other party,” said Mabuyakhulu.

The ANC received 54.22% of the votes in the province during the 2019 general elections  — a decline from the 65.3% it achieved in 2014. The IFP regained its status as the official opposition after garnering 16.34% of the votes, dislodging the DA which got 13.4%.

The IFP lost its status as official opposition in the province to the DA in 2014 but the party made a stunning comeback in the 2016 local government elections. The results changed the political landscape in the province and renewed the party’s hope of making further inroads in this year’s general elections.

Despite a decline in the number of votes it achieved, the ANC in the province said it was     “excited and humbled by the confidence that the people of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africans in general have once again placed on it as an organisation”.

The party said it welcomed and unconditionally accepted the results “not only as being free and fair, but also a true reflection of the will of the people”.

“As the leader and pioneer of the democratic dispensation in our country, the African National Congress prides itself for having led a very long and inspiring campaign throughout the breadth and length of our province,” said the party in a statement.

“The support and mandate given to the African National Congress by the people of KwaZulu-Natal is accepted with honour and great humility.”

ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli said the ANC-led government would focus on the implementation of the party’s elections manifesto.

“We have heard and internalised the concerns raised by our people during the elections campaign and the government will ensure that the interests of our people are pursued diligently.” 

The ANC also called on its newly-elected public representatives to serve the people with humility and honesty, saying it took the mandate it had been given by the electorate very seriously. 

“We take this decisive mandate that the people have given us very seriously; it is an instruction to grow South Africa through meaningful change and renewal.

“It is a message to work hard and work for the people, it is a message to correct the missteps and reciprocate the trust they bestowed to the ANC by delivering quality services and a better life for all citizens.  Indeed, the ANC manifesto is now a manifesto for all South Africans,” said Ntuli.

The ANC also gave credit to political parties for running a competitive and robust campaign throughout the election period.

“Despite the incident that took place in Greytown where an IFP member was gunned down near a voting station, the ANC is pleased with the level of political tolerance displayed by political parties in the province. While the police are still investigating the motive behind the Greytown incident, we want to call for calm in the area and give police space to conduct a thorough investigation,” said Ntuli.   

The party also committed itself to work harder to eradicate poverty, unemployment and inequality.