President Cyril Ramaphosa urged ANC members to ensure the ruling party emerges victorious ahead of the much-anticipated elections this year.
He said this after ANC members from Limpopo died fatally on their way to Mbombela stadium in Mpumalanga to celebrate 112 years of existence.
After a moment of silence following ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe request to honour their fallen soldiers who died after their bus overturned, Ramaphosa took a swipe at former president Jacob Zuma with his newly MK party labelling it unreal and opportunistic as he salutes what he calls “the real uMkhonto weSizwe Liberation War Veterans” who attended the January 8 statement celebrations.
He also said the ANC is unfazed by emerging small parties that are embarking on challenging the ANC during this year’s elections. Ramaphosa also labelled ANC backstabbers snakes who want to destroy the ruling party.
“We have seen agents who are opposed to the transformative agenda. These are the real snakes that want to bite the ANC. They are masquerading as agents of change while in fact they have a common cause with those opposed to transformation. Their agenda is to deprive the ANC from having state power and are opposed to transformation and the ANC’s democratic agenda,” he said.
He said coalition parties aren’t consistent because their relationships are like “bubble gums” that aren’t firm therefore they won’t match what the ANC has achieved for the past 30 years in charge of the administration. Ramaphosa who received applause during a packed into capacity Mbombela stadium said South Africa under the ANC administration has been transformed for the past three decades.
“The ANC is the only reasonable force that has a track record of uniting and working with various forces to advance the democratic agenda. Only the ANC is able to work with various sectors of society, including faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, unions, women and business to ensure social change.
“We must now make sure that the onslaught against transformation must make us more deliberate in the renewal of the ANC. Those plotting against us must know that we are not scared of them,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said the ANC will create more jobs not only for the youth but also to elders who are above 35 and beyond so that they can enjoy the gains of the liberation movement in administration. He commended the youth for their innovative mentality who told him that they want to create finished products to export and trade because South Africa has enough minerals to grow the economy.
Ramaphosa however tasked ANC members to work determinedly to ensure that the ANC retains power.
“The immediate task of all members and supporters of the ANC, our alliance partners, the mass democratic movement, and progressive civil society is to mobilise all South Africans, especially the youth, to register to vote so they can exercise their hard-won right to shape the future of our country,” he said.
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila didn’t mince his word when he urged the ANC NEC to refrain from treating Zuma with soft gloves but iron fists. He urged the ruling party’s leadership to discipline and dismiss Zuma who he labelled a counterrevolutionary who backstabbed the ANC by forming his newly MK party.
Mapaila also assured that the SACP will continue to support the ANC as its alliance partner without trepidation warning the ANC not to be soft when dealing with its members who are putting the organisation into disrepute.
“We must deal with the populist forces who want to divide our movement and the direction of our revolution. The second threat comrades come from inside the movement. This breakaway movement that has even used our symbols for their own selfish ends. These comrades, we characterise clearly as a counter revolution in motion. This counter revolution must be defeated. This agenda must be fully interrupted,” SACP leader said.
“These people have intimidated 80 councillors to resign so that they can buy elections. This is true counter revolution and there is nothing revolutionary about it. Therefore, in this regard, as we pledge our support to the ANC this coming elections, we will work with you on the ground to defeat these counter revolutionary forces.”
ANC members came in numbers to capacitate Mbombela Stadium.
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