ANC statement on its readiness for the forthcoming Local Government Elections

5 May 2011

With the local government elections just one week away, the African National Congress (ANC) through its intense mass mobilisation campaign - is happy to have made huge inroads in areas that were Democratic Alliance-run municipalities particularly in the Western Cape.

With its policies having been exposed as racially polarising the South African society, the DA has now been put on a back foot in the Western Cape where the City of Cape Town has violated human rights and the dignity of Blacks by building unenclosed toilets in Makhaza township on the Cape flats; and in the Midvaal in Gauteng where they have now succumbed to pressure to remove in the cover of darkness - the statue of apartheid architect Dr Hendrik Verwoerd.

The DA has placed as one of the pillars of its elections propaganda, the accusation that the ANC is involved in the practice of "cadre deployment", but it has emerged that the party is itself involved in "family deployment". The revelations are that the DAs mayoral candidate for the city of Cape Town, Patricia De Lille, has employed a son, a nephew, three sisters, two brothers-in-law and three close family friends in influential government positions in the Western Cape.

This once again exposes the DAs double standards - particularly in this election - which has seen the party always indicating left but turning right on moral and corruption matters.

The latest revelations must give the electorate a picture of what kind of public representatives the DA has deployed in this election.

While we welcome the DAs succumbing to pressure to remove the statue of Dr Verwoed, the ANC remains convinced that because this was not a voluntary action the DA is a party committed to reinforcing racial segregation. Verwoed remains a symbol of apartheid and we believe that this is the reason why the DA has fought to keep the Midvaal lily White.

With emphasis on our campaign being face-to-face and direct engagement with all sectors of society, the ANC in the build up to the Siyanqoba rally at FNB Stadium on 15 May 2011 will hold rallies in many parts of the country this weekend.

Among many rallies ANC mass mobilisation rallies planned for the weekend, President Jacob Zuma will tomorrow (6 May 2011) visit the Western Capes George sub-region from 2pm, where he will visit a house in Rosemoor in Ward 6 (12 Van Till Street) before going on door-to-door at the Asazani informal settlement in Thembalethu. He will later address the public at the Thembalethu Sports field at 3.30pm.

Several other rallies will be taking place this Saturday (7 May 2011) with National Executive Committee (NEC) member Nathi Nthethwa addressing a gathering in Mafikeng in the North West.

ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe will address a rally at the East London City Hall, while ANC Youth League President Julius Malema will address a gathering at Galeshewe in the Northern Cape.

We are equally impressed by the 30 Days Non-Stop campaign of the ANC Womens League that has seen our League engaging women in many parts of our country. We also know that they have been warmly received and many of the women they engaged with, have committed to voting for the ANC.

Issued by:
Jackson Mthembu
National Spokesperson
African National Congress

Enquiries:
Brian Sokutu 071 671 6899
Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930