In a packed hall charged with festivity, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday night that 70% of voters had rejected the critics of the African National Congress.
”They made it clear they refused to be moved away from voting against their own interests,” he said at an ANC victory party at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg to celebrate the party’s landslide election victory.
After an election campaign in which the ANC was noted for its having almost ignored its competition and criticism, Mbeki said many stories had been invented about the ANC.
”It is said that we have lost contact with the people, that people are angry and disillusioned with the ANC because we have failed to respond their aspirations, that the failure of the ANC has led to apathy and disillusionment among the youth; that only the cronies benefit and they are little more than a bunch of corrupt individuals intent on stealing from the country; that traditional leaders are disappointed… that the tripartite alliance (between the ANC, the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the SA Communist Party) is paralysed by internal fighting.”
The country had rejected all these false accusations, Mbeki said.
Mbeki thanked all political parties for the way they handled themselves in the voting process and thanked ”all party political leaders who have already congratulated us.
”Congratulations to all of them, whether they won or lost,” he said to cheers of laughter.
”Our message is that there is life after elections. We invite them to join the people’s contract to make sure all people unite in a national movement.”
Mbeki also said it was important that the government responded to the people’s wishes as soon as possible.
”We must now not allow this mandate to encourage an attitude of arrogance amongst ourselves,” Mbeki said. ”Our people have charged us with the responsibility of creating a better life for all.”
Mbeki stressed that the ANC was a movement for the poor ”regardless of race, age and gender.
”They (voters) are confident we shall fight tuberculosis, Aids, malaria, diabetes and other diseases.”
He also said ANC voters knew that an ANC government would never forget its international obligations to the people of Africa and the world… ”in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), in Burundi, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire… Zimbabwe, Haiti, Palestine, Israel, Iran.”
Mbeki began his speech with a quip that he had been told that the ANC had already chosen Mosiuoa ”Terror” Lekota as premier for KwaZulu-Natal.
He was referring to a leaflet that had circulated in the province, claiming that this would be an appropriate appointment as he was Sotho and the province was not yet ready for a Xhosa leader.
”Congratulations, Comrade Terror,” he said to much laughter.
IFP wins thumping majority in Ulundi
There remains uncertainty about which parties will rule KwaZulu-Natal after an inconclusive result from Wednesday’s provincial election — but the Inkatha Freedom Party swept its traditional capital in Ulundi with 93,6%.
The town is the traditional capital of the Zulu nation and was the site of a major battle with the British in 1879.
The IFP, led by outgoing Minister of Home Affairs Mangosuthu Buthelezi, won 59 948 votes in the town while its nearest rival, the ANC, notched up only 2 319 or 3,62%.
Next in line was the DA, which won 690 votes or 1,08%.
Meanwhile, intense negotiations are expected between the IFP and its alliance partner, the DA, and the ANC over which parties should rule the province as a whole — where in previous elections the IFP has been predominant — with neither of the groupings able to rule on their own.
ANC wins Cape Town in poll
The African National Congress snatched political control of the City of Cape Town metropolitan council two years ago when the New National Party councillors defected from the Democratic Alliance — but now the national ruling party has won the most votes of any party in the city.
Wednesday’s election results — while representing the provincial vote for the Western Cape legislature from the Cape Town area — show that if an election were held tomorrow the ANC would most likely emerge as the overall winner.
The ANC pulled in 454 282 votes or 44,09% of the vote — which, if translated into a system that is half ward councillors and half proportional representation, would probably ensure it victory in the 200-seat council.
Municipal elections are scheduled for late in 2005. In the municipal election of 2000 the DA won a majority in the new metro. It was the only metro council not ruled by the ANC at the time in the country.
The DA gained 280 266 votes or 27,2% in the metro and Patricia de Lille’s Independent Democrats won 82 749 or 8,03% – just behind the NNP’s 10,83% or 111 548.
The African Christian Democratic Party got 3,74% of the vote on Wednesday in South Africa’s Mother City and other parties which would get seats if a municipal poll were held tomorrow include the Pan Africanist Congress, the Freedom Front Plus and the African Muslim Party. – Sapa, I-Net Bridge