ANC’s Mbalula denies party underestimated Zuma’s power and support

JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula denied that the party underestimated the power and support of Former President Jacob Zuma.

The advent of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has seen the ANC losing its overwhelming majority in the National Assembly, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Northern Cape.

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Speaking during a media briefing at the National Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Midrand on Sunday, Mbalula said the ANC tried its best to put up a fight.

With over 99% of voting districts captured, only 40% of South Africans voted for the ANC, while the MK Party ranked third with nearly 15%.

The party also went from having an overwhelming majority in KwaZulu-Natal to trailing behind the MK Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the province.

Leading up to the elections, the ANC denied that its electoral support would decline despite several polls making that prediction.

However, Mbalula said the party thought its three-month-long campaign would remind South Africans to rally behind the ANC.

“It is shown in the results. We have lost even some of our strongholds to the MK Party in KwaZulu-Natal. It looks like we were marching with Zuma machinery.”

While several parties have demanded a revote, the ANC has welcomed the outcomes of the election results.