ANC will do its work from opposition benches, says Mbalula
The African National Congress (ANC) head of elections Fikile Mbalula says the party will work with communities from the opposition benches in municipalities where it doesn’t govern.
Mbalula briefed the media on Thursday on the outcome of local elections.
The ANC dropped to below 50% of the national vote and lost power in the three Gauteng metros.
Mbalula said the party has been able to form coalitions in the Nelson Mandela Bay and eThekwini metros.
“We acknowledge and welcome the role played by a number of parties who have agreed to co-operate with the ANC in pursuit of the objective of building better communities and improving the lives of the people of these municipalities.
“In totality, the ANC received a clear mandate in the majority of local areas. We do acknowledge, however, that we have not done well in others. Of the total votes cast throughout the country, the ANC received 45.6% of the popular vote and a majority in 167 councils.”
But he admitted that many South Africans are not happy with the ANC.
“During our election campaign, the ANC heard the concerns of the people. We will ensure that our programs respond to these needs and concerns. We value the input and counsel from our people.
We will ensure that our public representatives honour the commitments made in our local government election manifesto.
“We will ensure accountability and responsiveness from our representatives through contracts of deployment and performance agreements. We will work to ensure transparency and people-centred governance.”
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