ANC is in trouble, all leaders must help: Tokyo Sexwale on campaign trail

ANC veteran and former Gauteng premier Tokyo Sexwale joined the ANC election campaign in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday — three weeks before the country goes to the polls.

During a doorstop with the media, Sexwale told journalists the ANC was in trouble and it was crucial for all its leaders and former leaders to join the campaign.

“When your home is on fire, when your father’s home is on fire, you don’t ask questions, you take a bucket and join others to douse the flames. You will talk later about what caused the fire and what caused the problems. But for now we need to soldier on in the trenches as Chris Hani did.”

Sexwale said he has come out to bolster the ruling party’s campaign efforts.

“We are here to campaign for the ANC and not to decampaign anyone. We are here to decampaign lack of water for our people, potholes, poverty and to campaign for the success of this country to be rebuilt.”

The veteran said he was happy to join efforts to renew the ANC and reconstruct the country.

“We are renewing the ANC because things have happened inside that we are not happy with. All these new parties that are starting are a result of things that have happened in the ANC.”

He took a jab at splinter parties that have found expression outside the party.

“As we renew the ANC, we don’t forget that the people who did wrong inside the ANC have found their way into society. So they cause problems inside society.

“We are here to say to South Africans, fellow members of the ANC and members of the alliance at large: we are bending our knees, in front of our people. We promise them a better life, not because we said so in 1994 but because the ANC is renewing itself and we want to reconstruct the country.”

Sexwale said it was important to acknowledge that not all is lost for the ANC.

“The wheels have not fallen off. The screws are loose, but this wagon, this vehicle of the ANC, is still moving. Our people still have a belief in what the ANC can achieve with them and for them. We still have our wheels, we are just here to tighten them up.

“We want to put people in power and leaders in parliament who understand the basic policies of the ANC and people who will be sensitive to the demands and requirements of our people,” Sexwale said.