The ancestors will turn against those leaving the ANC, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.
“The ancestors will turn their backs against you and you will be bad luck forever if you leave the ANC unhappy,” he said in Phola, outside Lichtenburg.
Zuma was canvassing for votes in the North West ahead of the May 18 municipal elections.
He said voting for the ANC added value to the development of the country.
“When you vote for a party that is going to lose, then your vote is wasted. That vote does not help South Africa at all.”
He said election time was an important part of a democratic country.
“It is the time citizens of a country are asked to make a choice of a party they want in government. Up until 1994 we had no rights to vote,” he said.
He said those who were leaving the ANC because they had not been chosen as election candidates were putting their interests ahead of those of the ANC.
“I know what I'm speaking about. When I was recalled from Parliament people were telling me to form another organisation, but I could not because I understand the policies of the ANC.”
He said the ANC would investigate all complaints about its lists of candidates and would act decisively.
Residents of Phola said they would vote for the ANC regardless of the slow pace of development in their area.
“I still believe the ANC will deliver. It was not the ANC who fail, but people elected,” said resident Presley Mooketsi.
He said that for the past 10 years, projects had been brought to the township but not completed.
“It was not the ANC, but the people elected who failed to account to us,” he said, adding that he would vote for the ANC on Wednesday.
Mooketsi said the township was better off compared to 10 years ago.
“The only problem is the road infrastructure. We still have waterlogs on the road when it rains.”
Residents of the impoverished Phola area ululated and whistled when Zuma arrived at the sports ground to address them.
Zuma told them that the ANC was the only party that could change their lives for better and urged them to vote for the ANC.
Sapa