ANC alliance urged to embark on ‘listening campaign’

Sanco has urged the ANC-led alliance to embark on “listening campaigns to respond to the message that the electorate has sent it through their votes in the polls.

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Johannesburg - The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has urged the African National Congress-led alliance to embark on “listening campaigns to respond to the message that the electorate has sent it through their votes in the local government elections”.

“The recent Sanco national working committee (NWC) has expressed disappointment with the reduced majority in support of the ANC and hung councils that are being constituted by coalitions that do not necessarily agree on priorities for effective governance and improved service delivery,” Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said in a statement.

Apportioning blame without taking responsibility would serve only to deepen the conflicts and disagreements that arose during the candidates list processes and “advance the agenda of those who wish to exploit the opportunity to weaken and ultimately destroy the unity of the ANC and its revolutionary alliance”, he said.

“The assessment and reflections on the outcome of the elections and implications thereof while the message is still fresh should be followed through with a programme of action to strengthen partnership with our communities and intensify the development agenda.”

The Sanco NWC had called on communities not to waste time in engaging elected councillors to ensure that accountability defined their term of office.

Mahlangu said acceptance of the outcome of the local government elections by all political parties and candidates was a reflection of the maturity of South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

“Intervention in Vuwani [in limpopo] and other areas will ensure that political stability is sustained to support economic recovery necessary to address grinding poverty, inequality, and unemployment” he said.

African News Agency