COSATU, SACP vow to push hard to ensure ANC's decisive victory at the polls

JOHANNESBURG - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have vowed to pull out all the stops to score the African National Congress (ANC) a decisive victory at the May 29 polls.

The alliance partners have again thrown their weight behind the ANC amid predictions that the governing party could slip below the 50% mark when the country votes in 35 days' time.

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The ANC is under sharp scrutiny as a number of senior leaders are accused of maladministration and on the back of unrelenting socio-economic challenges.

Though critical of the ANC’s shortfalls in government since 1994, COSATU spokesperson Matthew Parks says the party is not beyond repair.

“It has made serious blunders, and we are beginning to hold it accountable ruthlessly, which is what we want. Former president of the ANC, former secretary-general of the ANC, many former ministers have been shown the door. For us, that’s what we want because we want to see accountability and humility.”

SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo says its support for the ANC stands on condition that the party shapes up.

“The most important condition is for us as the working class to strengthen our organisational and political organisation so that we can impact on the direction the ANC has to implement its governance.”