ANC needs to work harder to win elections, says Ramaphosa

The ANC had used local government as an instrument to tackle the legacy of apartheid and promote inclusive economic development and accelerate the provision of basic services to the people, he told the ANC’s Alfred Nzo regional gala dinner at the Wild Coast Sun in Mbizana in the Eastern Cape on Friday night.

“We have used local government to improve the quality of life of our people by providing them with electricity, water and sanitation. We have provided decent housing for sustainable human settlements. We have expanded access to electricity, upgraded informal settlements, and rolled out a massive infrastructure programme.”

The ANC had also, among other things, leveraged local government resources to improve primary health care, providing new health infrastructure, clinics, and expanded services.

“All of this we have achieved because our people have entrusted the ANC with a mandate to bring about a better life for all. A great many challenges still remain. Much more still needs to be done to expand provision of electricity, water and sanitation to many areas,” he said.

“Most importantly, we must do more to put people first and strengthen accountability, transparency and efficiency. Now more than ever, we are pressed to deliver faster, better and smarter. Now more than ever our people are growing impatient with their condition of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

“Because they see the change we are capable of delivering, our people now see a glaring gap between those who have and those who don’t. And so… these elections, and those that will follow, will become increasingly challenging for us to win unless we plan better and work harder,” Ramaphosa said.

“As the ANC we must always be alive and alert to the changing conditions of our communities. Our people have trusted the ANC to provide them with a voice and articulate their aspirations. This election should remind us of what the ANC means to our people.

“Our people trust the ANC because of dedicated men and women who have stood for principle, justice and peace. It has earned their trust because it not only represents their past but remains an embodiment of their dreams and aspirations. Our people trust the ANC because it serves them with no expectation of reward or personal gain,” he said.

“We have a duty to serve them with purpose and conviction, to create value and to give them hope. Let us today serve an ANC that stands for prosperity for all and not dishonest individual gain.

“Let us pledge to seek government office so that we may honour our people, not pursue factional battles. Let us today renew our commitment as the moral compass of our nation. Let us give the ANC back to the people who have made it.

“Let us go back to the people with humility to say we will not allow the ANC to fall prey to those who would reverse the gains of our struggle. Let us go back to our people to tell them they matter. We will remain accountable to them. We will become more effective and more efficient. We will be more resourceful and more innovative,” Ramaphosa said.