ANC provincial chairperson in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi, who is also premier of the South Africa’s most populous province, has cast his vote at the Thuto Ke Maatla Engineering School of Specialisation in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni on Wednesday, where he conceded that it is going to be a tough contest.
However, Lesufi said without sounding arrogant, he believed the people of Gauteng would give the African National Congress (ANC) another opportunity to lead the province which is the economic heartbeat of South Africa.
“I do not want to be arrogant and pre-determine the outcome (of the election). We follow one document, the Freedom Charter which says the people shall govern,” Lesufi told IOL while he was in the queue to cast his vote.
“It does not say the ANC shall govern. If people prefer us to govern, we really believe that we can and therefore we are confident that the African National Congress will be chosen by our people and the ANC has the capability, skill and the talent to ensure that we run not only our province but our country.”
The premier, who was joined by several ANC officials including Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said he believes the ANC will “surprise” many people in these tightly-contested elections.
“This campaign was very tough and difficult. I was just a mere agent of the ANC in 1994. I have seen all the elections, but this one is going to be very difficult,” said Lesufi.
“It is very difficult because the ANC was changing the engine of an aeroplane while the aeroplane was airborne. We had to elevate renewal of the ANC while at the same time, we have to contest the elections, and we paid a price,” he said.
“That particular price, we have not yet recovered. I think we are the only country which, in the middle of local government elections, was having a commission of inquiry.”
Lesufi said ANC members who did not agree with the massive renewal process left the revolutionary movement “and formed various political parties”.
“The mistake that people like you and others make is to think that a sliding scale is forever going down and there is no opportunity for learning from your mistake and improving from those mistakes,” he said.
“You really believe that because in the last three years the scale was going down, then it is automatic. I really believe we will surprise people out of this (election). We have worked very hard, it has been difficult, everyone was against us, and some of you as journalists,” he said.
“We are hated as the ANC and some of you couldn’t hide it. You invite people to be analysts in your studios on the basis that they do not speak good about the ANC. Some television station even has a bus to go and visit every region but what happens is that they only go where there is sewer. They do not go where there is a new clinic or new school,” said Lesufi.
“As the ANC we were not contesting only the 72 other political parties, but we were contesting many other things – radio talk shows, television stations, and many institutions, the so-called social media influencers. So, if you have to fight a battle in that environment, and remain a preferred candidate, you remain confident and that is why we are here. Hopefully, people will see that we are a capable movement that will take this country to the next level.”
On Wednesday morning, IOL reported that voting stations opened at 7am around the country as South Africans geared up to vote in the seventh democratic elections, 30 years since the fall of apartheid.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said some 26 million South Africans are registered to vote and are expected to make their mark on Wednesday.
IOL