"A Dying Movement": SA Weighs In on the ANC Saying Low Voter Turnout Is a Message to Shape Up

• The African National Congress says people not showing up to vote in the local government elections is a warning from its supporters
• ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte says there are other factors such as Covid-19 that contributed to low voter turnout
• Some South Africans think the ANC should have started to shape up after the 2016 municipal elections already

The African National Congress held a press conference at the National Results Operations Centre (N-Roc) on Wednesday to discuss the results of the municipal election that are slowly trickling in.

The ruling party stated it's become aware that the low voter turnout was a warning to the ANC from its supporters that it is time for the organisation to shape up.

ANC reflects on the outcome of the municipal elections

Read also

Eastern Cape Premier blames Covid 19 for low voter turnout at local elections 2021

Jessie Duarte, the deputy secretary-general of the ANC, highlighted that the 2021 municipal election was among the most difficult elections the party has contested in.

She stated that the voter turnout had been disappointing and could be partly blamed on the Covid-19 pandemic, the weather and the fact the election was held on a Monday, SABC News reports.

She added that there were also logistical issues that contributed to the low turnout as well as loadshedding the week before elections. However, Duarte added that the low voter turnout in previous ANC strongholds was a message to the ANC.

"It is in the main and unambiguous signal to the ANC from the electorate; the low voter turnout, especially in traditional ANC strongholds, communicates a clear message. The people are disappointed in the ANC with the slow progress in fixing local government," said Duarte.

Read also

'Give that man a bells': Mzansi is proud of ActionSA's refusal to form a coalition with the ANC

ANC has not yet started coalition talks

Duarte stated that the ANC's past experience with forming coalition governments has been regrettable. She also noted that opposition parties led coalition governments that were quite messy.

When it comes to forming a coalition, Duarte says the ANC will pick political organisations that are aligned with the party's principles.

Duarte says the ANC has learnt important lessons from the 2016 elections about forming coalitions, reports SowetanLIVE.

South Africans react to the ANC's media briefing

Social media users weighed in on the ANC's statement that the low voter turnout was a message to the party. Here's what they had to say:

@samstone1945 said:

"If it takes these results to send you a message, you really don’t know that you don’t know."

@NkweMashamaite said:

"A dying movement."

@TTDogSA said:

"The movement must at least sort the corruption and looting. They do try, but corruption is eroding everything. There's Bermuda projects everywhere, fully paid projects. There's now a big problem of inflating projects costs. A R2 million project is now R40 million!"

Read also

Redi Tlhabi drags ANC, directs scathing comments on losing its grip on power

@MushakuMashudu said:

"They should have done that after the 2016 LGE. These guys are greedy and want everything for themselves. Let them stay in the opposition for 5 years, maybe they will learn something from people who are serious about service delivery."

@GinaMokoena said:

"ANC's performance in the past national elections was a message for them to shape up but instead a lot has happened since then."

"Give that man a Bell's": Mzansi is proud of ActionSA's refusal to form a coalition with the ANC

Briefly News previously reported that new political party on the block, ActionSA, says it will not by any means form a coalition government with the African National Congress. The political organisation says it will not change its stance under any circumstances.

On Wednesday afternoon, ActionSA had garnered 16.08% of votes in the Gauteng province, making the party an eligible contender for coalitions.

ActionSA says this decision to not enter a coalition with the ruling party was made at a special senate meeting on coalitions and the party concluded that it would consult with South African citizens before entering into a coalition, reports TimesLIVE.

Source: Briefly News