ANC stalwarts urge voters to pick ruling party

ANC stalwarts have urged South African voters to go out and vote for the ruling party on Wednesday.

“No other party has the depth, the courage, the experience or the trust of our people to walk the road that has to be walked for real transformation for all of our people,” they said in a statement.

The group, calling themselves “concerned members of the ANC”,  include Sydney Mufamadi, Essop Pahad, Aziz Pahad, Mavuso Msimang, Popo Molefe, Cheryl Carolus, Welile Nhlapo, Alec Erwin,Wally Serote, George Nene, Thandi Lujabe-Rankoe and Prema Naidoo.

“Notwithstanding its current challenges, no organisation has the track record on non-racialism, non-sexism, human rights and democracy. No other organisation is able to lead our country in this difficult time in our country and in the world,” read the statement.

They acknowledged and condemned bad behaviour by those in power and entrusted with confidence “who have shown themselves to be more interested in personal gain than the interests of the poor and vulnerable in society”.

“Bad behaviour cannot be allowed to hide behind the deep sense of love that ordinary people, the voters, have for the ANC and its legacy. We therefore will need to be there, in our organisation, to once again build from the grassroots, in a way that’s inclusive of all in our diverse society.”

Essop Pahad, in a telephonic interview today following the statement, said: “We are people with a long history in the struggle … the DA should  not win the Nelson Mandela Metro.”