‘We did everything humanly possible’ to prevent further electoral decline, says Gauteng ANC

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng said it did “everything humanly possible” to prevent a further decline in the general elections.  

The ANC’s national leadership recently decided to “reconfigure” its Gauteng leadership performing poorly at the May 2024 general elections. 

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Amid all the reconfiguration talks, the ANC in Gauteng is hosting the provincial leg of the party’s January 8 celebrations on Sunday, marking 113 years in politics.  

The ANC in Gauteng lost its electoral majority in 2024’s polls.  

The party haemorrhaged a whopping 15%, leaving it with a 35% share of Gauteng ballots.  

Outside the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng is the only province where the ANC has leading control.  

Speaking on the sidelines of the January 8 celebrations, ANC Gauteng spokesperson Lesego Makhubele said this was their best possible outcome. 

“All parties did not do well, and all provinces of the ANC did not do well. What we pride ourselves on is that we are the biggest contributor in terms of electoral support. We ran a research-based campaign. We knew months before what we were going to expect in the May polls. 

“We did everything humanly possible to try and address the challenges that would have led to the electoral decline, which included load shedding and water shortages and many other problems,” he explained.  

Supporters clad in their green and yellow regalia were slowly filling the Alexandra Stadium for Sunday afternoon's speeches.