DURBAN - POLITICAL analysts have claimed that the dysfunctional municipal administration, lack of service delivery, corruption, the absence of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma have harmed the ANC at the polls.
Dr Metji Makgoba attributed the ruling party’s loss of votes to the internal factions that had torn the ANC apart.
“Those who could not vote are disgruntled young people and other members of society who feel abandoned by the ruling party. Rather than punishing the ANC, people decided to abstain from participating in the elections. The decline will continue because the ANC is struggling to unite and contain the issues of corruption,” Makgoba told the Daily News on Tuesday.
On Zuma’s arrest, he said: “Many people love Zuma and this is the reason why they have returned to the Inkatha Freedom Party, because they feel the ANC failed to better handle the fallout.”
Makgoba felt that social media also contributed to the ANC’s problems by exposing corruption – for example, the looting of monies meant for infrastructure such as stadiums.
“The excessive looting is coming back to bite,” he said.
Professor Sipho Seepe felt Zuma’s arrest and Magashule’s suspension from the ANC, had harmed the party.
“Many people who are Zuma supporters felt let down by how he was treated by both the ANC and the state institutions. Other supporters chose not to vote for a party that was willing to wash its dirty linen in public.
“The infighting has also been a discouraging factor. It was much later that the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal sobered up and decided to throw its weight behind ‘Msholozi’, who has the biggest support in the province,” he said.
Seepe also criticised the ANC's handling of the 36 deaths in Phoenix during the July unrest allegedly at the hands of vigilante groups in the area.
“The matter has also not gone down well. Africans were killed mercilessly and brutally and the ANC appeared to have paid little attention to it, almost suggesting that black lives don't matter,” he said.
Professor Tumi Senokoane said: “The KZN factor should be attributed to the mistreatment of Zuma and also the difficult relationship between the ANC and the monarchy. But remembering that KZN has really never been the home of the ANC.
“Moreover, KZN voters have always shifted their votes depending on their political situation,” he said.
Approached for comment, Magashule on Tuesday conceded that factional battles had cost the ANC at the polls.
He said that during an election campaign in his hometown, many ANC supporters appeared to have decided to boycott the elections as they felt there was no unity within the party; however, he pleaded with them not to punish the movement.
“Of course, voters rejected the ANC because the party is deeply divided and heavily infiltrated by factional battles which harmed us all. We need to fix our ways and rebuild the party. We can’t expect people to be happy when there is so much happening,” Magashule said.
On whether his campaign had a positive impact in his area, Magashule said that where he had campaigned, positive results were reflected in municipalities, such as Ngwathe and Metsimaholo.
IFP KZN chairperson Thami Ntuli said that his party had done well in more than 10 municipalities in which it previously had no presence.
“By end of the election result-counting, our party would have come out victorious in many parts of the province. This paves a way for the IFP in the next general elections.
“The use of the founding father of the party boosted our campaign and brought hope to the people of KwaZulu-Natal in a great time of need. The people wanted someone who will instil hope, people were reminded of the party that had always cared for them,” Ntuli said.
ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli said the party would comment after the elections results were finalised.
Despite his promise to respond, Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi had not commented by time of publication.
Daily News