Port Elizabeth - The Eastern Cape ANC Veterans League on Wednesday called on its mother body, the ANC to ensure that all candidates on its election lists were beyond reproach, to bolster the ruling party's efforts in winning the 8 May National and Provincial elections.
At a regional workshop in East London, the veterans committed themselves to a campaign in which they hoped to woo millions of registered voters in the province to garner a victory for the ANC.
"We are now in the fourth phase of the elections campaign, Mayihlome (take root and attack), focusing on door-to-door direct contact with registered voters," the league said.
The Veterans League said that it was heartened by the ANC's strong stand and the action the government had taken in recent times against corruption and fraud, but that despite the "predominantly a positive mood in the province and country", it faced many problems and "negative challenges" which it could not ignore.
The veterans said that the workshop had discussed the "calibre of candidates on the ANC List both at provincial and national level" and raised concerns.
"We call on the ANC to ensure that those implicated in fraud and corruption should step aside and allow the processes to unfold and not taint the ANC and impact on our battle for a resounding victory.
"Accordingly, we support the NEC decision to refer all lists to the Integrity Commission," the provincial Veterans League said.
African News Agency/ANA
