President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday warned opposition parties that the ANC, which in recent years has been losing support, will be the party to beat come next year’s general elections.

Addressing ANC supporters during the commemoration of Pietermaritzburg-based liberation struggle heroes Moses Mabhida and Johnny Makhathini in Imbali township, Ramaphosa said party divisions, which contributed to a loss of support, are now a thing of the past.

“[With] the work that [was] done in KwaDukuza yesterday, I could see that the leadership is energising … our membership, our volunteers and our people. With that I can smell victory for the ANC. I want to encourage you to continue uniting this glorious movement, and the divisions that we had in the past, we [will] put them aside and let us unite this important vehicle of liberation of our people.”

Mabhida was a SA Communist Party leader while Makhathini was the ANC head of international relations.

Ramaphosa, who laid wreaths at the graves of Mabhida and Makhathini who are buried at the Imbali Heroes Acre where yesterday’s event was held, told ANC members to draw inspiration from the leadership qualities exhibited by the two stalwarts.

“They did a lot to ensure we get our freedom. Being at Heroes Acre just lifts our spirit.”

KZN ANC members are known for their opposition to Ramaphosa’s leadership.

In the ANC 2017 national elective conference where Ramaphosa contested Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the majority of the province’s party members backed her.

She is now the women, children and people with disabilities minister in the Presidency.

During last year’s ANC presidential race where Ramaphosa was challenged by former health minister Zweli Mkhize, party members in KZN rallied behind Mkhize.

However, the mood among ANC KZN members in Pietermaritzburg was different during Ramaphosa’s visit yesterday.

ANC members waved and sang Ramaphosa’s praises as the president’s convoy drove through the streets of Imbali.

In the nearby Dambuza, where Ramaphosa addressed scores of ANC members, police had to block the entrance to a local hall where the president was speaking as large crowds continued streaming into the venue.

Thulani Ndlovu, an ANC member from Msunduzi’s ward 21 in Dambuza, said he was disappointed that he could not hear Ramaphosa speak.

“When I arrived, police turned me away. They said the hall was already full. Like many other comrades who came to hear Ramaphosa, I ended up camping outside the venue. My only consolation is that at least he waved at us as his vehicle drove off.”

Ramaphosa, who told ANC supporters that the party remained the ‘only organisation which they can trust’, said most of the challenges confronted by residents will soon be a thing of the past.

“We are aware of the lack of development; we are aware of the electricity problems. The ANC is attending to all these problems.”

Flanked by ANC KZN provincial leaders, including the party’s provincial chairperson, Siboniso Duma, and provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo, Ramaphosa started his tour of the province on Saturday when he visited several areas on the north coast.

Ramaphosa described the reception he got from the people of KZN as ‘very warm and very positive’.

“Our presence here is about addressing challenges facing our people such as issues of water and unemployment. This is the beginning of our election campaign. It means that the wheels of our election campaign are in motion.”