Leaving nothing to chance, the ANC made a final push days before the local government elections – arguably the most competitive in South Africa’s short democracy.
On Sunday, the party hosted six simultaneous rallies across South Africa, with President Jacob Zuma addressing the rallies from a packed Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
In Cape Town, thousands of ANC supporters converged on the Bellville Velodrome, where big screens were set up inside and at an “overflow” area to broadcast events at Ellis Park, including Zuma’s main address.
ANC Cape Town mayoral candidate Xolani Sotashe said the party, once in power, had a responsibility to integrate the Mother City.
“At the moment, the City of Cape Town is so divided.
“We’ve been criss-crossing the city, and people responded very well, very positive, and they are ready to go out in numbers to vote for the ANC on Wednesday,” said Sotashe.
ANC provincial spokesperson Jabu Mfusi said the party had gone door-to-door shortly after the completion of the list process to get supporters to come to the rally.
“It has been hard work going door-to-door, putting our structures on the ground – local elections teams,” said Mfusi.
“The ANC hammered its message of Cape Town being “two cities” – one for the rich and another for the poor.
Mfusi said this had found resonance with voters, who told the ANC’s canvassers that not much had changed for them since the DA took over the City of Cape Town in 2006.
ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said the party had been “humbled” that supporters had come out in their numbers. “We had the Velodrome filled, as well as the overflow area filled.
We were surprised but we are grateful.
“This gives us an overwhelming sense that people are ready for change in the Western Cape, especially in Cape Town,” said Jacobs.
“He spoke of the “hard work” it took campaigning to residents. “We went to knock on doors, we asked permission to come in and we listened to the issues (of voters).”
Also present at the rally were regional, provincial and national leaders of the ANC, including Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel and Zou Kota-Fredericks.
While voters acknowledged there had been changes, Jacobs said they complained that more could be done, and there had been a slowdown in some municipalities governed by the DA.
New ANC councillors who will be sworn from next weekend will go on “intensive” leadership development, said Jacobs.