ANC local government election losses not a crisis: Zuma

“Our loss is an equivalent of a soccer match lost in a penalty shootout. That is not a crisis, because the governments that have emerged out of the elections are built on slight majorities which can collapse at any time,” Zuma said speaking at an ANC Cadre’s Forum in Pietermaritzburg.

He further likened the losses sustained during the August 3, local government elections in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Johannesburg and Tshwane to a minor cut.

Zuma acknowledged that the party was facing a massive task in stemming further losses, but insisted that the ruling party had sufficient capacity to deal with the challenge before it.

He called on party members to work towards strengthening the ANC so that it could consolidate its political power base so that it can tackle other challenges and enforce change.

“We do not have economic power and the security of the country is at stake as well. Let us strengthen our political power and move to the two remaining pillars which are the economy and security,” said Zuma.

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He told the party faithful that the losses should be a warning signal that the ruling party should not take its power for granted in future.

“We need to use our political power within this given time frame because there will come a time when such power wanes and losses its meaning.”

He said recent splits in the ANC and the Congress of South African Trade Unions were not unique to South African politics but an experience in other countries where liberation movements had to deal with changing conditions.

“We have seen what has happened in other countries where leaders at some point hold differing views on the direction that should be followed. But we have full trust in the ANC that it will prevail under these difficult circumstances.”

He called on members to work towards unity and to avoid any elements that drive a wedge meant to divide members.

He said there were those who had money and were using it to divide the ruling party members especially during elective conferences so that the ANC would collapse, and warned against seeking positions at all costs.

“None of us here arrived with positions in mind. Let us work for the organisation. A position is a by –the- way. When you have lost a contest do not develop some form of animosity to a degree where you even consider killing your comrade,” Zuma warned.

In KwaZulu-Natal the party had seen 13 people killed since the beginning of the year, with the most recent killing of a councillor in Margate taking place last week.

He said the presence of the media — which had been invited by the party — prevented him from telling the cadres about the state of the ANC.

While the event was set to start at 4 pm there was a delay of over an hour as Zuma had been in the Eastern Cape for the National Council of Province’s (NCOP) Taking Parliament to the People event throughout the week. Big screens were erected outside city hall to enable hundreds of supporters to watch Zuma’s address.

Police battled to control the supporters who had arrived in big numbers to see Zuma. However, no incidents were reported. The city centre was cordoned off and motorist driving through town had to use alternative routes.