Thabo Mbeki says KwaZulu-Natal will listen to ANC’s call and vote for it

Former president Thabo Mbeki said the people of KwaZulu-Natal will listen to the ANC campaign and vote for the party. 

He was speaking on Saturday at Heroes Acre in Pietermaritzburg, where he laid wreaths at the graves of struggle veterans Moses Mabhida and Johnny Makatini, as part of his campaigning ahead of the elections on 29 May. 

In March, the former president confirmed that he would campaign for the ANC after months of speculation regarding his involvement. Mbeki said at the time that it was his “obligation” to make a contribution to the party.

On Saturday he said: “We came here and launched our manifesto [on 24 February 2024] at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. That launch was a commitment to the people and we must do what we can to implement it,” Mbeki said. 

He continued: “My view is that the population of this province will listen to what we say and hopefully they will believe that we are not telling them inganekwane [fairy tales] and will believe us.”

Mbeki said that just as he is telling people to vote for the ANC, he equally is urging the party to respond to the needs of the people. 

“We must make sure the movement that they [Mabhida and Makatini] led and sacrificed everything for lives up to the promises it makes to the people. It’s an obligation we owe to them,” Mbeki said.  

KwaZulu-Natal is hotly contested by the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party with the newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe party at their heels.  

Mbeki’s campaign coincided with the Democratic Alliance (DA’s) final rally, themed “Rescue KZN” as the party showed that it is not out of the race in the province. 

“For the first time in 30 years, the ANC is going to lose its majority, both nationally and here in KZN. And they are not only going to lose — they are going to lose badly. The people of this province are not blind,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said.