Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has sent a strong message to the ANC Eastern Cape leadership.
He has told the leadership to deliver quality services or risk losing in the elections next year.
Motsoaledi was speaking at an ANC provincial general council (PGC) held at the East London ICC.
Among the issues discussed was the party’s strategy for the 2024 election and the provincial government’s performance since 2019.
In the 2021 municipal election, the party got the support of 63% of voters in the Eastern Cape, with more than 1.8-million votes.
But issues such as load-shedding, a lack of maintenance of roads and an unreliable water supply in many areas have left residents complaining about the performance of the ANC-led government.
The party is set to review its election manifesto next month. Many of the province’s roads are in a serious state of disrepair.
Yesterday, the provincial transport department dispatched its senior officials to talk to protesters who blockaded the R61 route near Hluleka.
The protesters demanded the completion of the department’s second-phase project to surface a 16km stretch of road to the Hluleka Nature Reserve.
After visiting the province earlier this year, then deputy minister in the presidency Thembi Siweya said the government needed to prioritise the construction of proper access roads connecting villages and rural schools.
Motsoaledi said: “I told delegates on Sunday that the ANC’s obituary gets written every day. I told them that the ANC leaders needed to work very hard because the people need services.
“When we attended a presidential imbizo in Tsomo on Friday, it was clear that there are two important things that people in this province want — roads and water.
“If you are in power and you don’t provide those things then there will be a decline [in electoral support].”
Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the party was doing its best to provide services.
He said he was confident it would improve its electoral support next year.
Source: https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2023-08-15-unfulfilled-promises-threaten-election-outcome-anc-warned/
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