The African National Congress kicked off its campaign push in the metropolitan Tshwane region on Saturday, with Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula rallying supporters to deliver an “overwhelming victory” for the party in next month’s national elections.
Addressing a crowd in the town of Bronkhorstspruit, the ANC veteran implored the community to turn out in large numbers on May 29th to keep the governing party in power.
“Come out in your numbers on the 29th of May 2024 to ensure the ANC achieves an overwhelming victory in the upcoming elections,” Mbalula declared, using the honorific “Comrade” to underline the party’s liberation struggle roots.
The ANC has governed South Africa since the end of racist apartheid rule in 1994, but is facing headwinds from frustrated voters amid economic stagnation, rolling power blackouts, and lingering allegations of corruption.
Recent opinion polls suggest the party could lose ground to opposition groups like the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, threatening a possible coalition scenario.
But Mbalula’s call to arms in the economic hub of Gauteng province signals the ANC’s determination to marshal its historic base and run a formidable national campaign under the banner of stable leadership and experience.
With a few weeks until election day, the coming weeks are likely to see both major parties jockeying hard for every last vote across South Africa’s nine provinces.
