It is time to deal decisively with the factional battles that have paralysed the ANC and the tripartite alliance.
This declining prestige has obviously compromised the ANC from playing its historical role of leading society.
Sanco was not surprised by the ANC’s poor show of results in the West Rand’s three biggest districts municipalities. This after the Mogale City ANC got 38 seats, the DA 27 and the EFF nine seats.
In Randfontein/ Westonaria, the ANC got 37 seats, the DA 19 seats and the EFF eight seats.
In Merafong City, the ANC got 30 seats, the DA 12 seats and the EFF nine seats. Without a 50 per cent plus one majority, the ruling party would have to cobble majority, meaning that the ruling party would have to cobble together a coalition government to rule the municipalities.
With unease and disappointment, the ANC’s share of the districts vote has decreased dramatically during these past (municipal) elections. The ANC (needs) to go back to the people and embark on a listening campaign that will include doing something drastic to kick-start the economy that has alienated people, he said.
It was lamentable that the ANC had failed to hold on to some of the big metropolitan municipalities.
While these are disheartening developments, it would be insincere to pretend that there were no visible signs of a gradual decline of our party.
The narrow focus on internal factional battle, the corruption scandals and the growing distance from the people have gradually eroded its high moral ground and weakened its political capacity and that of its leadership.
The elections took place in a stagnant economy with high unemployment, poverty and inequality. Some of our people have been left torn apart and disappointed by the scale of corruption and service delivery failures.
There was a need for deep reflection and analysis of the election results, especially on what they meant for the revolution.
