Enthusiastic ANC supporters, bused and transported from all over KwaZulu-Natal, attended the ANC’s January 8 statement anniversary rally, painting the Mpumalanga Stadium near Hammarsdale yellow, gold and green.

ANC supporters at the party’s January 8th celebration held at Mpumalanga Stadium, Hammarsdale at eThekwenini Municipality, 5 February 2023. (Photo: Facebook / Fikile Mbalula)

ANC and alliance leaders at the rally included ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, Zweli Mkhize, former Women’s League President Bathabile Dlamini, Deputy Minister in the Presidency Responsible for State Security Zizi Kodwa, Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo — and Zandile Gumede, the former eThekwini mayor who faces fraud, money-laundering and other charges.

Duma said though the ANC had upped service delivery in KwaZulu-Natal, it was aware that many communities were not happy about the levels of service delivery.

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The ANC lost control of 18 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal in the 2021 local government elections, losing mainly to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) or to IFP-led coalitions. The Democratic Alliance gained control of uMngeni Local Municipality.

Police minister Bheki Cele (left in yellow shirt), ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula (centre, waving the cap) and KZN provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma (right). (Photo: Facebook / Fikile Mbalula)

Duma said councillors and other ANC leaders were accountable to their communities.

“We won’t tell people what they want. We know what communities want. But we need to account to them in order to bring them hope… Our door-to-door campaign will be different this year,” he said, adding that leaders who were not willing to submit to the people would have to leave.

‘Realistic action’

His sentiments were echoed by ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula: “If you do not want to serve, please just go home… The ANC wants leaders who are prepared to work hard and deliver on the promises.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula addresses the party’s January 8th celebration held at Mpumalanga Stadium, Hammarsdale at eThekwenini Municipality, 5 February 2023. (Photo: Facebook / Fikile Mbalula)

“Where we are in charge as the ANC, it must be clear that we are leading; people must not cry as if we are not leading. We must bring hope to the people.

“The ANC government wants to create jobs so that our people can work for themselves. In this area [Hammarsdale Industrial Area] there are a lot of factories. We want more and more factories to open so that there are more job opportunities,” he said.

Mbalula said the biggest challenges facing the country were rolling blackouts, crime, poverty and unemployment.

He repeated that the ANC wanted to declare a national State of Disaster to deal with crippling power cuts and to solve the pressing challenges in the country that were leading to low economic growth.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “State of Disaster must be clearly defined and subject to transparent parliamentary oversight, say political parties”

“We have to sort out the load-shedding issue as soon as possible… Funds must be made available as a matter of urgency so that when we speak about solving the electricity and load-shedding issues, we don’t speak like cartoons but we speak about realistic action,” he said.

ANC supporters pack the stands at the party’s January 8th celebration held at Mpumalanga Stadium, Hammarsdale in eThekwenini Municipality, 5 February 2023. (Photo: Facebook / Fikile Mbalula)

Mbalula told journalists that Deputy President David Mabuza’s resignation would not lead to a crisis as President Cyril Ramaphosa would consult with the ANC to make the necessary appointments. He said Mabuza had been a “disciplined” cadre of the ANC who had “never defined himself outside the ANC”.

Mbalula said the party was focused on the President’s State of the Nation Address, to be delivered on Thursday, 9 February, at 7pm.

He said the ANC expected the EFF to be “dramatic” and “theatrical”.

“They [the EFF] don’t believe in stability. We expect them to do their gimmick and all of that.

“The President must focus on reversing the ills of society. The President must tell the nation how the government will solve the electricity issue and must tell the nation how the government will deal with crime. We have got a clear mandate which we have given them [the government leaders] and they must implement,” Mbalula said.

Hope for young people

Sizophila Mkhize, spokesperson for the ANC Youth League task team, said the rally had been a great success.

“I was impressed by the speeches of both Duma and SG Mbalula that comrades will be held accountable. It shows that everyone is ready to work for the people.

“As the youth, they gave us hope…  I have no doubt that the ANC will win in KZN and nationally…. We want to ensure that young people are put on the list so that they will champion the causes of the youth. The youth want jobs, they want economic opportunities and we want these issues to find expression in the ANC election manifesto,” she said. DM