‘Calls for Zuma’s resignation uncalled for’

DURBAN — Renewed calls for President Jacob Zuma to resign are uncalled for, the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal said yesterday.

“He never contested to be the mayor of Abaqulusi, or to be a mayor of anywhere else in the country,” provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo told reporters in Durban.

Zuma could not be made a scapegoat for the problems of previous mayors or councils or for a lack of service delivery in municipalities.

While the ANC’s performance in the local government elections last week left much to be desired, the league still had confidence in Zuma and wanted him to finish his term of office.

Sabelo was briefing media on the ANCYL’s resolutions taken during a provincial executive committee meeting in Ulundi on Friday.

Support for the ANC fell to below 60 percent nationwide. The party lost Nelson Mandela Bay to the DA, and failed to gain an outright majority in several other metros. The EFF had reportedly said it would only enter into coalitions with the ANC if Zuma stepped down.

Sabelo said there were a number of reasons why the party performed the way it did, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.

Many people in the province did not vote because the candidates they wanted were not nominated. In the past, ANC members set aside their differences and rallied behind a candidate, Sabelo said.

Before the August 3 elections, about 12 people, mainly ANC members, were killed.

“Some committed political suicide, and became independent candidates.”

He said the eThekwini metro had the highest number of independent candidates, 57. The ANC defeated 53 of them, a “decisive victory”, he said.

Sabelo said the ANC would have done much better in the province had there been no independent candidates.

Earlier, journalists walked out after ANCYL officials were almost an hour late for the briefing. They decided to stay after Sabelo apologised and promised it would never happen again. — Sapa