Former president Thabo Mbeki has urged the residents of Soweto to come out in numbers to vote for the ANC in the national and provincial elections on May 29.
He told residents gathered at the Jabulani Mall that they should vote for the ANC even though it was still infiltrated by criminals. He said the ANC was in the process of removing such crooks from the party.
“People of Soweto, I come here to ask that on May 29 we know what we have to do. There’s only one political party I know. I don’t know these other ones,” said Mbeki to loud cheers.
“When I say let’s vote for the people’s organisation, I say that because I know this organisation. I know you have many issues with this organisation — that there are people who are not good, the criminals are also wearing this ANC T-shirt. We have to remove them so that this organisation goes back to being the one you all know,” he said.
So I promise that when I say vote for the ANC, I promise that we will fix that ANC.
This was the first time that Mbeki had joined the ANC campaign trail since he was removed from office in 2008.
Though he had several engagements with intellectuals ahead of the 2019 elections, the last time he campaigned on the streets was in 2008.
Mbeki’s decision to join the campaign has been seen as an endorsement of the party, given that it is a big shift from his previous comments about the ANC.
Mbeki has been critical of the ANC, often calling the party out for implementing its renewal programme at a snail’s pace.
The renewal programme is meant to rid the ANC of the rot that Mbeki has said had taken over the party.
Mbeki last year said since the adoption of the renewal resolution in 2017 and 2022, nothing tangible had been done to show the party was serious about its renewal.