East London - African National Congress Eastern Cape chairman Oscar Mabuyane is confident that the electorate will support the party in the upcoming general elections.
Speaking at the ANC's Eastern Cape lekgotla at the Osner Hotel in East London on Sunday, he said there was "renewed confidence" by most citizens, despite the revelations of corruption emerging at various commissions of inquiry.
"More and more sections of society are responding positively to the ANC commitment on the path of renewal. Our people care less about national, provincial, or local government competences; they simply want the delivery of basic services, they want jobs, they want decent housing, and restoration of their dignity," he said.
The inquiries, including the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture, presented the ANC with an opportunity to cleanse itself of corruption.
"We are currently watching various commissions of inquiry that seek to address the sins of the past and present, the wrongdoing, abuse of power, patronage, blatant corruption, and massive looting of state resources for the benefit of few individuals and their families because of their proximity to power. It is correct what is happening in the Zondo Commission and all those mentioned there must go and account there. This is part of the renewal that we resolved on in the 54th national [ANC] conference in Nasrec.
"Many have cried against the timing of these commissions of inquiry, but the call for renewal must be understood to be an engagement of war where casualties cannot be totally avoided," Mabuyane said.
On the problems facing the Eastern Cape, Mabuyane said about 42 percent of the province's population depended on some form of social grant, with the country's second-highest unemployment rate at 46 percent. However, the province had attracted "billions of rand" in investments, which would result in thousands of jobs and training opportunities for the 50 percent of unemployed youth.
These investments included R438 million by SAB in its Nelson Mandela Bay plant, R10 billion by Mercedes Benz SA in its East London plant, and R3.4 billion by Aspen Pharmacare in its Nelson Mandela Bay plant, Mabuyane said.