Johannesburg - The ANC says it is happy with its performance in the general elections, but the party admits there are South Africans who are not completely convinced that the party is on the right trajectory.
In the preliminary results, the party has obtained 57,5% of the national vote and has retained all eight of the provinces it governs, even though its majority has declined in all those provinces.
The results have yet be proclaimed and an official ceremony will be held on Saturday night.
Deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said the ANC had heard the cries of South Africans and of their decision to vote for them to remain in power for the next five years.
“South Africans have therefore given their vote of confidence to the ANC to continue to lead transformation and government for the next five years, in order to speed up the process of building a better life for all,” Duarte said.
“We are fully aware that these performance levels mean that many are yet to be fully convinced that we are firmly on a new trajectory. Their instruction is clear: we trust you – but do more and move more quickly to deal with corruption and state capture, to ensure accountability and to take the country on a higher path of growth and development. As the ANC, we have heard this message clearly and we are determined to act on it,” she said.
Duarte acknowledged that the party faced a tough challenge in Gauteng. The province was largely seen as up for grabs ahead of the elections and the ANC has managed to keep hold of the province with 50,19%.
She said it was time to get back to basics in the province.
“Gauteng is the economic heartland of South Africa and Africa, with the highest population and the most urbanised. Despite the recovery, we have to go back to basics in the province,” she said.
Duarte admitted that although the party was pleased with its performance, tits majority had declined. She said their analysis was based on the 2016 performance.
“In 2016, the ANC got a wake-up call when, for the first time since the advent of democracy, we received 53% in the local government elections,” she said.
“In the immediate aftermath of these elections, the ANC will embark on an extensive process, in all its structures, to analyse the results and our campaign. We shall do so in an open, inclusive, constructive and frank manner, so that we extract the lessons for governance, democracy and transformation, links between the people and the ANC, and for the unity, modernisation and re¬newal of the movement, as mandated by our 54th National Conference.”