Not way to win back electorate

FOR a political party that claims it wants to win back the hearts of the electorate and reclaim control of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the ANC seems to have completely lost the plot.

Yesterday, we reported how the ANC’s plan to unseat mayor Athol Trollip backfired, leaving the official opposition red-faced.

After telling throngs of news outlets – since last Thursday – that it would table a motion for a vote of no confidence in Trollip at Tuesday’s council meeting, the ANC did an about-turn and denied it ever planned to do so.

Losing motions and changing strategy is normal in politics, particularly if you are in the opposition and the numbers you need to win do not tally up.

But when you blatantly lie to the public and undermine the intelligence of the very electorate you hope to win over, you are simply digging your own grave.

ANC caucus leader Bicks Ndoni – a former deputy mayor until August 3 and once respected leader in the Bay – boldly told this newspaper on Tuesday that there was no plan to table a motion of no confidence.

“Whatever was said to the media is not the official position of the ANC.

“We would never want to table a motion of no confidence when we know we don’t have enough numbers,” he said.

However, in a recording of the ANC’s media conference last week – which Ndoni attended and even addressed – ANC chief whip Litho Suka can be heard saying the party would pursue the no-confidence motion.

If that was not the official position of the ANC, raising his misgivings at Thursday’s media conference would have been the opportune time.

Since losing power, the ANC has been struggling to find its feet and position itself as an effective opposition that will champion the rights of the thousands of residents who voted for it.

What people of this city need is an opposition that is mindful of the huge task it has been given, which is to hold the coalition government accountable.

This city needs leaders who can be trusted, not ones with selective amnesia.