ANC hoping to 'wash out' opposition in 2014

The gloves are off for the 2014 election campaign with the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal declaring its intent to obtain a minimum of 70 percent of the vote and eliminate the opposition.

   

In the opening salvo of the party's election campaign, African National Congress provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala told journalists in Durban on Wednesday it was hoping to "wash out" all opposition parties who he claimed had added no value to the province.

   

"The ANC is convinced that 70 percent is achievable as a minimum target in the province. The elections that are coming for us are a mirror of a political landscape post 2014. We are going all out."

   

In 2009 the party garnered almost 63 percent of the votes in KwaZulu-Natal.

   

"For us 2014 must mark the demise of all people who have been in the political landscape without adding any value in terms of changing the lives of the people of our province."

   

The press conference was held to announce the party's first election rally, to be held on Sunday in KwaMashu.

   

"Are opposition bringing any value? They bring absolutely no value at all," ANC deputy provincial secretary Nomusa Dube said.

   

"You don't see them providing any solutions to the challenges that people are confronting. Instead of providing solutions they add on to the frustrations of the people that they would never even deliver."

   

Dube, who is also the province's co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC, said the ANC's delivery record was evident and opposition parties were taking "opportunistic stances".

   

"You say to them 'you have been in Parliament for the past five years, what have you done? What have you done either legislatively or qualitatively to say what is the value you have added to those people that you have been serving?' Zilch. Nothing."   

 

Zikalala said the party had theorised whether the ANC had "suffocated" the opposition and if an opposition was needed.

   

"It is not the task of the ANC to build an opposition. Our task is to consolidate the support of the people of South Africa for the ANC. Once the ANC gets that support, the task of the ANC is to render service delivery."

   

He said some opposition parties had been in government prior to 1994, when the first democratic elections were held, and never delivered on their promises.

   

"We are not going to be concerned about the growing or shrinking opposition. If we get 100 percent [of the vote] we are going to enjoy," he said.

   

-Sapa