By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa says the party will shock many this weekend with its strategies and has no doubt that they will win the 2024 general elections.
Ramaphosa was addressing ANC supporters and volunteers who have gathered at JL Dube Stadium at Inanda township north of Durban, as he kicked off the party’s build-up to its manifesto launch this weekend.
The programme was to commemorate the late party President John Langalibalele Dube, which has seen him lay a wreath at Dube’s grave.
Ramaphosa said their election campaign will officially start once the election date has been announced.
“Our campaign will officially start once we announce the date of the elections. This will be a tough campaign. Other parties speak ill of the ANC. But we will show them the ANC will win the elections, whether they like it or not,” said Ramaphosa.
“If you look at the opposition parties, including the smaller ones that have been recently launched, none of them have so many volunteers. As the ANC, we are expecting you to drive our elections campaign here in eThekwini.”
“On Saturday we will be launching our manifesto here in Durban. The manifesto will demonstrate that in the last 30 years the ANC did a lot in terms of changing the lives of our people. The ANC manifesto will also show that the ANC is the only political party capable of taking this country forward,” he said.
Thousands of ANC supporters are expected to descend on the Moses Mabhida Stadium for the party’s manifesto launch.
The ANC, which has dominated the KwaZulu-Natal pollical landscape since the 2009 general elections, is facing a challenge from political parties such as the IFP, DA, EFF and the newly-formed MK party.
Ramaphosa told the ANC volunteers that the ruling party was “cruising to victory”. “Our message to all the opposition parties is very simple: they will be defeated,” he said.
He said they will win the elections nationally and in KwaZulu-Natal. He said the Western Cape was on their radar.
Ramaphosa said the ANC would win the elections through the strength of their branches.
The president also said in their manifesto they will highlight key issues that affect the country.
These would include jobs, water challenges and road networks.
Many parts of the country have been plagued by the water crisis. They will build dams, restore water infrastructure and build more roads.
He said the manifesto is informed by the input of their members following the consultative process they held last year where they visited provinces, regions, zones and branches.