Fransman ‘humbly satisfied’

Cape Town 140507. Provincial chairperson of the ANC Marius Fransman check the results at the IEC Centre in Bellville. Picture Cindy waxa Tel: 0736160997

Cape Town 140507. Provincial chairperson of the ANC Marius Fransman check the results at the IEC Centre in Bellville. Picture Cindy waxa Tel: 0736160997

Published May 9, 2014

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ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman admitted he knew it could not win votes in the Cape Metro, but was “humbly” satisfied with the gains it had made in the Boland and Central Karoo regions.

“The reality is that the ANC has already made an improvement,” Fransman said, while following results at the provincial results centre in Bellville on Thursday.

 

In the 2009 general elections the ANC won 31.58 percent of the votes. By 4pm on Thursday results indicated the party had already won 32.75 percent of the total votes in the province.

“For me the progress we have made in the Cape Metro is encouraging. We knew that we were not going to win the Cape. But I know the gains we have made in the rural areas such as Swellendam, the Boland and Karoo region was great.”

Fransman pinned its successes on unity shown in the ANC. “We were broken up in the 2009 election; now that we have a united front we are seeing more results.

“Historically we were the province that had public spats in the ANC.”

 

Fransman said the party had enjoyed the elections.

“We have given the DA a run for their money. We had our Take Back the Western Cape plan and that resulted in winning mainly rural towns. We need at least five to seven years to implement our plan.”

 

Fransman, who served as deputy minister of international relations and co-operation, said the party instilled dignity in poor people. “Our trends have not gone down.”

 

Asked what the impact of the 2012 farmworkers’ strike had had on the party’s popularity, Fransman said: “We remain committed to the plight of the poor. Those workers who saw us fight for them, they have voted for us.”

With the schools closure saga, the party had also received major support.

“I think it is safe to say that the DA felt the heat.”

 

Fransman said he personally chose not to be available for any national government post. “As leader of the province, I felt it would be good for me to be in the province and not in Pretoria.”

Fransman said the ANC’s results at the polls had firmly laid the foundation for the 2016 municipal elections.

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