Former President Thabo Mbeki has expressed confidence that the ANC will be returned to power during the upcoming National and Provincial elections. Mbeki started his election campaign for the ruling party at Jabulani Mall after a decade and half absence since his removal from office in 2008.
There was pandemonium when the former president went on a walkabout at the mall with shoppers pushing each other trying to get a glimpse of him amid heavy security presence.
Mbeki was particularly confident that residents of Soweto will vote for the ANC in numbers.
“I am here distributing these pamphlets and to say to the people of Soweto please vote for the ANC. I’ve not been in Soweto in a long time but I’m confident that the people here will return the ANC to power come the 29th of May because historically they have been supportive of the ANC,” said Mbeki during a doorstep interview.
Mbeki underplayed his earlier criticism of the ANC during which he even suggested it was nigh-impossible to campaign for the party when its “led by criminals”.
He said he never abondoned the party and that his criticism was meant to spur it into self correction.
“I have never changed my mind. I said to the ANC and is the point I’m making now that the ANC must fix its internal problems which they are. When the ANC said ‘ we will remove ourselves’ that was coming from conference to say the ANC must renew itself so I’ve never changed my mind and as we campaign I want to make a commitment and say to the people vote ANC and we must also say to the people we will attend to the problems that we have,” said Mbeki.
The ANC is facing its toughest challenge in the upcoming elections having lost support in consecutive polls since 2009 and now finds itself relying on smaller parties to govern metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng, KZN and the Eastern Cape.