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South Africa: Close Ranks, Zuma Urges Cape ANC
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Business Day (Johannesburg)
5 May 2008
Posted to the web 5 May 2008
Hajra Omarjee
Johannesburg
AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma yesterday called on party members in Western Cape to stop internal squabbles and focus on retaining control of the province in next year's election.
His call came as the Democratic Alliance (DA) has stepped up its campaign for control of the province in the next poll.
During a strongly worded specch at a rally in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, yesterday, Zuma called on the party to get its house in order ahead of its own provincial congress in July.
"We must defeat factionalism and divisive tendencies. We must not allow our structures to be held hostage by those who are only interested in their own narrow advancement," he said.
Western Cape, the province the ANC has a marginal majority in, has been wracked by leadership disputes in recent years.
The marginal majority of the ANC is an opportunity opposition political parties, especially the DA, hope to exploit.
"There are some in this city and in this province who still try to create divisions. We must defeat them. We must show that the people of this province can stand together, and together work to redress the injustices of the past," Zuma said.
The ANC suffered a shock defeat in the 2006 municipal election when the party lost control of the city of Cape Town. It is the only metropolitan municipality in the country the ANC does not control . However, the ANC still has control of Western Cape, a status quo that it hopes to maintain.
"The ANC has shown it is the most popular organisation in this province and in this city. It is by far the most popular organisation in Khayelitsha. As we head towards the elections, we must already begin work to consolidate and increase that support," Zuma said.
He identified the youth vote as crucial to victory: "We must urge all our people, and especially the youth, to make sure that they are registered to vote. Those people who don't have ID books must go now to apply for them. There is an election battle coming. Not only must we be ready, but we must be united."
Zuma also called on communities to take more responsibility for education, health and fighting crime.
"This is not the time to rest. This is the time to intensify the fight for a truly united, non-racial, nonsexist, and democratic SA," Zuma said.
Referring to the ANC's campaign for quality education for all, Zuma urged education officials, teachers, learners, parents and community members to commit themselves to a "code of quality education".
Zuma also spoke candidly on HIV/AIDS.
"We must acknowledge that we are in the middle of a devastating epidemic. Every weekend we have to attend ever more burials, as many of our young people succumb to AIDS-related illnesses. But we are not helpless in the face of this disease.
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"We have the power to stop the spread of HIV (by) responsible behaviour. And we now have the means to ensure HIV-positive people stay healthy longer through effective treatment, including provision of antiretroviral treatment," he said.
The man is seriously deluded he thinks God is on his side,when his party is murdering thousands of Gods people every day in the name of pro-choice/womens rights.
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