Johannesburg - The ANC cannot satisfy everyone and will not be ungrateful winners in this year's elections, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Sunday.
“The ANC can't win a whopping 62 percent and then complain about the other 38 percent,” he told reporters at party headquarters Luthuli House, Johannesburg.
“We would be ungrateful winners by questioning how we lost that 38 percent.”
Gigaba, who was also the head of the African National Congress's elections campaign, said the ruling party was humbled by the win.
“We are very grateful winners. We are humbled. We are not complaining at all. We will not seek to try and satisfy everyone.”
The party believed even the media was against it in the run-up to the national and provincial elections.
“You campaigned hard against the ANC and we beat you. We defeated you,” Gigaba told journalists.
“We know you never loved us. And we don't have a problem with that. Our only concern was whether the people loved and trusted us.”
Gigaba said the party would analyse the voting patterns in the election.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said the results showed the ANC's support base was “rock solid”.
“The results of our work are qualitatively and quantitatively felt and appreciated by our people over a period of time.
“The people of South Africa have once again given us an overwhelming mandate to continue with the work we started... in 1994.” - Sapa