Collen Malatji | South Africans did not vote for the ANC to take an ‘L’

The absence of an outright majority does not cancel our right to have our interests represented in the executive decisions that shape our lives. Whilst the counting of ballots continues across the country, there is a growing sentiment among detractors and perhaps some supporters of the ANC that it must not strive to secure executive power through coalitions. I find this notion problematic but also highly flawed, and as such I believe such notions must be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. It is our view that where there is no clear winner, the ANC must do everything within its democratic powers to secure the levers of executive authority. People voted for the ANC, and they deserve to be represented as much as the supporters of any other party. The notion that the ANC must take its “L” lacks political and ideological clarity. The concept of taking an “L” in youth urban lingo, simply means accepting defeat and resigning yourself to doing nothing. When used in a political environment, it likens the real lives and aspirations of citizens of a developing nation to a Soweto Derby football match with a winner and a loser. Yet a hung council is the very definition of a tie, with no outright winner or loser, and coalitions are the tie-breaker. The notion that, in such a setting, the ANC must willingly and actively make itself the loser to appease those who did not vote for it makes absolutely no sense. It suggests that the ANC must abandon its responsibility to its supporters and citizens in general so that those who do not support it can feel that it has learnt its lesson and is now sufficiently humble. What kind of political logic requires a movement to surrender the very influence its supporters voted for it to exercise? If the electorate has not given any party an outright majority, negotiating to constitute a government is part of giving effect to that electoral outcome. The ANC has as much right to participate in that process, and to lead the government that emerges from it, as any other party. Every party must account for what it does with its votes Since the advent of coalitions in South Africa, there has been a tendency for certain parties to shy away from negotiations or simply donate their council votes to other parties, then distance themselves from responsibility when those arrangements fail. The political convenience is obvious: help determine who governs, disclaim responsibility for what follows, and rest the next election campaign on the blame game. Coalitions have opened governance to participation by multiple parties, and South Africans should be asking each what it did with whatever share of the votes it received. A party cannot help install a government and then pretend that its own choices had nothing to do with the outcome. In the ANC’s case, it would be unfathomable for our answer to be that we did nothing because we simply took our “L”. We must dismiss the notion that ANC voters are second-class citizens in municipalities where the movement has not attained a clear majority. Our votes are not spoilt, nor must they be rendered useless. The absence of an outright majority does not cancel our right to have our interests represented in the executive decisions that shape our lives. We must fight to implement our manifesto Our manifesto commitments do not simply evaporate because we did not secure a clear majority. We have a responsibility to use whatever numbers we have in councils to pass decisions that advance those commitments. That means negotiating for representation in troikas and mayoral committees, with the authority to influence municipal programmes and budgets. We must constitute and, where necessary, through lawful democratic processes, reconstitute councils to secure that representation. The ANC must not be afraid to lobby aggressively for the implementation of its manifesto’s action points, regardless of whether it commands a majority in council. Our manifesto is the only real blueprint for improving and developing local government, and we must defend it with that conviction. We must build support for its proposals among other parties and insist on their inclusion in coalition agreements, municipal plans and budgets. The absence of a majority makes that work more demanding; it does not make our programme any less necessary. Coalitions Coalitions are part of the political terrain, although the instability they sometimes produce can make them undesirable. That instability is a reason to negotiate agreements that sustain governance and service delivery. It cannot become an excuse for surrendering executive power before we have even attempted to secure an agreement. We will not resign ourselves to the back benches and watch more than three decades of development be engulfed in flames simply because we did not receive an outright majority. The gains of democracy belong to the people of South Africa, and protecting them remains our responsibility regardless of the ANC’s position in a particular council. We owe this effort not to ourselves as members and leaders, but to the citizens who placed their faith in us. They should not have to watch their movement abandon their interests because its opponents have decided that withdrawal would be a suitable punishment. Unity is Paramount This moment calls for unity across all structures of the ANC, including the ANCYL and the ANCWL. Calm heads must prevail, and above all, the ANC’s commitment to South Africa must remain the central motive behind our decisions. Personal ambitions and internal differences must not undermine the collective responsibility we carry towards our people. The youth must be voices of unity in these times, bringing the energy and political clarity needed to hold the movement together and steer the ANC towards our desired path. At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration that South Africa would not be bullied expressed a resolve worth borrowing for this moment. As we move towards constituting councils, the ANC must refuse to be bullied into reneging on its duties to those who voted for it. Whether through an outright majority or a coalition, we must pursue the mandate our people have given us with determination. We will not take an “L” with the votes, hopes and aspirations of South Africans who voted for us! We will negotiate to safeguard the gains of democracy and build better communities together, for the sake of all South Africans.