Pretoria - Faction fighting within the ANC in Tshwane was behind its poor showing in last week’s municipal polls, insiders have told the Pretoria News.
According to at least three high-ranking members of the ANC in the region, it came as no surprise to those in the know that the DA emerged with the majority of votes in the capital city after the polls.
They alleged that branch members were told to vote only for ward councillors and intentionally spoil the proportional representation (PR) ballot.
There were voters who chose not to vote at all largely because their preferred candidates had been taken off the nomination lists following violence-ridden branch general meetings earlier this year.
The members claimed that all these measures were done in order to sabotage ANC mayoral candidate Thoko Didiza, who had been “imposed” by the national executive committee.
The sabotage, the ANC members said, culminated with a party held on the eve of the elections at Freedom Park to bid farewell to “a certain municipal official” - at a time when all efforts were supposed to be channelled towards elevating Didiza’s stature in the eyes of the ANC public.
“We were all shocked when we received the invites for the August 2 party,” they said.
The members referred to some of the wards, especially in the townships, that had more than 200 spoiled ballots. “When this happens, you start to ask yourself how so many people could suddenly not have known how to vote properly. We then discovered voters spoiled ballots intentionally because their favourites were not nominated.
“It was short-sightedness; the voters who went along with this scheme did not realise they were shooting themselves and the ANC in the foot. It is for this reason that we retained the township wards; the people voted for ward councillors only. If those numbers had translated to the PR ballot, Didiza could have been mayor-in-waiting today.”
The members said higher structures of the ANC were informed of the troubles in the capital over the years, but did nothing. “They pointed to KwaZulu-Natal where people were being killed, and told us Tshwane was still much better.
“We were instructed to campaign vigorously and convince people to vote and let the matters be dealt with afterwards,” said another senior official.
“People said they were paid to burn buses and block roads because certain leaders were not nominated; these matters were known within the ANC. However, no action was taken again the culprits.
“We were told to take Didiza to the masses and ensure they accepted her, which we did, but obviously that was not enough if people were being instructed not to vote.”
Provincial ANC spokesman Nkenke Kekana could not comment on the allegations and dismissed them as speculation.
He said the ANC provincial executive committee would collectively reflect on the elections and chart a way forward within the next few days.
“Each election is different and unique, and you campaign for it that way. Either you deploy the team you had previously or go with a new team,” he said.
Kekana said the election was lost because voters in suburbs, the traditional DA strongholds, went out in higher numbers and voted.
The DA recorded higher votes in the suburbs while the ANC could not match such numbers in the townships despite having an overwhelming majority there, Kekana said.
“Coalition talks are ongoing with all parties and will be concluded within the prescribed time after the election results have been declared.
“The DA doesn't have the required majority; thus the ANC can still govern the this metro. As matters stand they cannot approve the budget nor appoint an executive mayor.”
Pretoria News