ANC gears up to regain control of province
Ebrahim Rasool chosen to lead party’s charge
OVER A decade after losing power in the Western Cape the ANC hopes to capitalise on DA infighting to regain control of the province. Newly appointed Western Cape elections head, Ebrahim Rasool said that while they would campaign for votes, winning the trust of the electorate in the Western Cape was of crucial importance.
Rasool was announced as the party’s head of elections yesterday and he outlined some of the plans the party had to win over the DA stronghold.
ANC national elections head Fikile Mbalula said they were even willing to welcome mayor Patricia de Lille with open arms, should she find herself without a party.
“It will depend on the course of history; like I say, the ANC loves a hard worker, it loves people of trust and people that serve the people.”
He said the DA would only realise De Lille’s worth once she was gone, if they allowed her to leave. “They don’t value trust and people who are loyal to them. They don’t know they are throwing a good love away. If they don’t know, they will find out.”
Rasool served as premier in the province from 2004 to 2008 and said he felt honoured to have been called up for the position and the confidence people had in him.
“When the ANC calls, you can’t say no. I am not doing this reluctantly, I believe if ever the moment was there for the ANC to be ready for this province, it is now.”
Rasool said the table was laid for the ANC to do well in the province.
“The moment of the ANC renewal has coincided with DA implosion, it is only the ANC in our city that has kept the dignity and stability of council intact, even if it was by one vote, to save the city form DA infighting.”
He added that the “levels of indignity” had made Western Cape citizens hungry for alternatives.
“They do not want the ANC of last year, they want the 2018 model of the ANC, and that is what is being presented to the people of the Western Cape.
“What we require rolled out over the next year is an opposition strategy. We say to the DA, your honeymoon is over, you will find us in the legislature, in the communities and council. You will now know what an opposition is all about.”
He said they would go to all areas and bring people in the province together and do the hard work of not winning votes, but winning trust.
“Personally, for me, this is a journey of unfinished business, non-racialism. The in province has gone to sleep since the ANC last ruled, we have seen words like ‘colonialism’ and ‘immigrants’ back in use and it is unacceptable, as we need to be united.”
Rasool said they would take on housing and health projects where housing and health care would be rolled out.
Rasool said there was a place for historical ANC voters who lost faith and for new voters in the ANC.
“Those who are historically ANC, come back; those who have 1999 and 2000 memories, come back – we are calling you for the campaign of your life. We are going forward and expecting great things in 2019.
“Those who historically voted against us, you cannot do worse than what the DA is doing to you now, come and join this locomotive that is moving forward.”