The SACP and Cosatu have vowed to do everything in their power to help the ANC win a decisive majority and remain in power after the May 29 vote. Alliance partners say that if the ANC's vote share falls below 50% in the upcoming elections, it will reverse the gains of the past 30 years of ANC rule.
Opinion polls predict the ANC's support will fall below 50% in the May 29 election, but party president Cyril Ramaphosa says he cannot imagine a South Africa without the ANC in control. .
“And at the end of the day, when many people say they can't imagine, can't imagine this country going without the ANC, they're telling the truth.”
And it seems he's not the only one who thinks so. The SACP says removing the ANC from power will undo all the gains made so far.
“If the ANC loses these elections, it will be a 100-year setback for our country because in effect the ANC is not fighting elections with other parties. We are fighting Europe, we are fighting America. , we are fighting imperialism, we are fighting our former oppressors, we will not succeed if we keep the ANC below 50%,” says SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila.
Cosatu agreed, saying a coalition government would not yield the best outcome.
“We are committed to ensuring that the ANC does not fall below 50% and as vice-president of Cosatu I can say that it will not fall below 50%. We know that once a coalition government is formed, no one's manifesto will be implemented. What the leadership agrees to will be a matter of elite agreement and less about the people who voted for it. We at Cosatu will try to prevent that from happening. said Michael Shingange, president.
For now, the ruling party says it is working toward a decisive victory.
“As the ANC Secretary-General, I can say that there is nothing from our position to suggest that the ANC will fall below 50%. We are aiming for a decisive victory and well above 50%. We're working on it. That's it. But we're not going to discuss the polls. We believe our polls will be in the results center after the 29th.th” said ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.
According to the ANC, the latest opinion poll released last week gave it 48% of the vote.
