Cape Town - As violent protests wrack the country over the ANC’s candidate lists for the municipal elections, Beaufort West mayor Truman Prince says he won’t fight his exclusion from the list, but will focus on fixing what is broken within the party.
Rumours surfaced this week that opposition parties had approached Prince after it came to light that he was third on the ANC’s Proportional Representation list for the municipality, effectively ruling out his chances of retaining the mayoral chain after the August 3 poll.
Prince took a conservative stance this week, saying he would remain loyal to the ANC.
Some members within the ANC had claimed Prince was taking his large support base to another party, but Prince said he would continue to lobby support for the ANC.
“I don’t need a title to serve my community. I have the support of the people because I work to improve the lives of all the impoverished residents of the Karoo. Serving the community is not about a title or money; it’s about doing the right thing.”
Having left the ANC in 2005 to strengthen the Independent Civic Organisation of SA (Icosa), Prince returned to the fold in 2011 to win the municipality with a majority. He said he had proved then that he enjoyed the support of the people.
“I’m done running. I am not going to start an exodus from the ANC. Instead I’m going to join the many loyal supporters and rather fix the party first.
“I am not going to deny that I am extremely disappointed that my hard work within the ANC is being sabotaged by factional battles among the regional leaders in the central Karoo, but I will not punish the ANC for the mistakes of a few rotten and self-serving regional members.”
Prince said he felt for those who had played a role in removing him from the top spot on the candidate list: “For every setback, take a step back, because God is planning your comeback.”
He also said residents of Beaufort West wanted clarity as to why he was not running for mayor.
“In truth all I want is to get back the ANC that did not care about posts and salaries, an ANC where members worked for the love of the people and the country.”
ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs said the PEC met and on Wednesday submitted the final lists for national approval.
Cape Argus