Johannesburg - The victory ANC attained during the 2014 election was bittersweet for the party as they did not have the support of the media leading to the big day, Malusi Gigaba said on Saturday night.
“This was an election where all odds were against us as the ANC,” he said at the victory party Johannesburg's CBD.
“Many media houses chose to endorse the opposition. Opposition parties were also united in unseating the ANC.”
He said despite the challenges and negative playing field leading to the election, party volunteers were the reason the party was successful. He praised their efforts.
“We have come out not only victorious but resoundingly victorious. This volunteers did all the work. This resounding victory we are celebrating is because of them and people of SA who defied the negative talks about the ANC and refused to listen to the things that were being said,” said Gigaba, who is also public enterprises minister.
He said the party was not taking the victory for granted and promised to hit the ground running once the president was inaugurated.
“We are very grateful to people of SA who came out in their large numbers to give ANC the resounding victory we got. This is something we are humbled and proud of,” sad Gigaba.
He said the party would make the next five years the best in SA history.
Gigaba said the party would strengthen their efforts towards job creation and support small businesses in the process.
Education would also receive special attention.
“We will focus on education and ensure children under seven have access to education. We will focus on the fight against crime and corruption within the private sector,” Gigaba said. - Sapa