Bruised but Unbroken: ANC vows to serve KZN people despite MK, IFP by-election blows
Despite the African National Congress (ANC) having been shown the door in KwaZulu-Natal by opposition parties and losing several key wards, the party said it holds no grudges against the province's voters and will continue serving the community.
'We have contested five wards since we came in almost two months ago. We admit we have lost three of those wards,' said Mike Mabuyakhulu, coordinator of the ANC's provincial task team.
'We retained two in Richmond and Ward 28 in KwaDuduza, and last week we lost Ward 18 in Mandeni.'
"However, the ANC did gain one ward, Ward 12 in uPhongolo, from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)," Mabuyakhulu added.
He was responding to questions about the ANC's declining performance in recent by-elections, including losses to former President Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
The comments came ahead of a feedback meeting with ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, who visited the province to assess the task team's work since its appointment in February.
'We have done our analysis. We understand what has been happening on the ground,' Mabuyakhulu said.
'Of course, we are democrats. We've gone back to those communities because we have a campaign called Ukhongolose Ubuyela Kubantu - (the ANC is going back to the people).'
Despite the setbacks, Mabuyakhulu insisted the party remains active in local governance.
'In those local governments, we are still going to deliver services to our people. The ANC has taken the position that we will not be angry with our people, and hence, we are going to serve them.'
The MK Party recently won Ward 18 in Mandeni on the province's north coast, defeating the ANC with 813 votes to 533.
Voting in that ward was marred by controversy, as an Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) official allegedly took a scanner to a private home to charge it.
The official has since been suspended pending an investigation.
The MK Party has also captured other wards from the ANC in recent by-elections, including Ward 110 in the eThekwini Metro, previously held by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
In February, the IFP secured Ward 15 in the Mhlabuyalingana Local Municipality with just over 1,300 votes.
The ANC came in second with 834 votes, and the MK Party followed with 531. The seat became vacant following the death of ANC councillor Gidla Mthethwa.
On Thursday, IOL News reported that speaking in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbalula acknowledged the ANC's declining support in the province.
'We have lost, and we did not camouflage that loss in KwaZulu-Natal,' Mbalula said.
'We are a 17% party, and we need to get out of that. We've been working on a program of renewal and a comeback in KZN.'
He emphasised that the ANC has not ignored its setbacks but is focused on rebuilding.
'Is it working so far? It is. There are sparks of good work being done,' he said.
'I'm not saying everything is hunky-dory. We are winning. We are not unconcerned.'
Mbalula admitted that key ANC members have defected to the MK Party and IFP, contributing to the party's losses.
However, he said the ANC has made gains in new areas and retained some of its traditional strongholds.
'We are not here to blame anyone. We are looking into our own house,' Mbalula said.
'We've reconfigured our leadership and are reinforcing our structures to build a disciplined and effective organisation.'
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
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