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The ANC’s head of elections Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at pre-election polls, describing some of them as “ideologically cooked” and “propaganda”.
“To us, research is a science and election campaigning is an art,” Mbalula said during a media briefing at Luthuli House on Thursday.
Mbalula was briefing the media on the state of readiness to host the party’s Siyanqoba rally at the Ellis Park precinct this weekend.
Despite his misgivings, Mbalula said the ANC took all research seriously.
“We analyse it and it informs our approach. What is important for us, is that we want to win decisively.”
His comments came after the latest Institute of Race Relations (IRR) survey revealed a massive drop in ANC support nationally.
According to the poll, the ANC still retained the majority of support, at 49.5%, while the EFF continues to grow from 12.2% in February to 14.9% in April. The survey had support for the DA at 21.3%.
Mbalula described the research as a total departure from the rest.
“That is propaganda. But, we are not here to argue with IRR; we know where they come from and where they are manufacturing their stories. Have you ever seen an ANC statement that says research is a lie?” Mbalula asked, before adding: “We did in the last campaign argue with research.”
Mbalula said the ANC’s internal research showed that the party would win decisively. He said voters had raised issues ranging from poverty, unemployment, corruption and nepotism within the party.
“We have admitted our mistakes and the response has been fantastic.”
He said the ANC was campaigning very hard because it was never a given that the party would be victorious.
“That is why we are campaigning very hard. The last election showed us that people can withdraw their vote. We are not here to play with that vote.”
The ANC lost two powerful metros – Johannesburg and Tshwane – to the DA during the 2016 municipal elections.
Mbalula said: “The people showed us flames in the last election. They said you are arrogant, you are corrupt and you don’t listen. You are only serving yourself.”
He said the ANC was in the process of winning back the trust of the people.
Mbalula also castigated those living in the suburbs for suggesting that the ANC did nothing in the past 25 years.
“To say freedom did nothing to our people is dishonest. It is nothing but a pure fabrication of the story of freedom. In 25 years, we can account for so much that has been done by successive administrations of the ANC.”
He said the popular political phrase of the party’s “nine wasted years” under former president Jacob Zuma was nonsense.
“Even when we were experiencing difficulties we have been doing a lot in terms of addressing the basic needs of our people. The story that nothing has been done is not true.”
He admitted that the ANC erred at a particular period and was now ready to amend.
“The ANC does not say all is well and we have done well and at the same time there are no hiccups. We are the first party in the period of the election to show our commitment in fighting corruption and win the trust of our people back. We introduced commissions which are even detrimental to the image of the ANC, mentioning some of the key figures of the ANC. And we have acted where commissions have concluded and made their recommendations [reality].”
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa fired senior advocates from the National Prosecuting Authority, Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi, following a recommendation by former Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro’s commission of inquiry. The commission found them “not fit and proper to hold their respective offices”.
Mbalula also dismissed suggestion that the ANC was considering to form a coalition in any province.
“Others have been quick to suggest possibilities of coalitions between the ANC and other parties. We are confident of a decisive victory at both national and provincial levels. The last few years have demonstrated that coalitions undermine democracy and do nothing to advance service delivery. The ANC is in this election to win decisively.”
