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'nothing wrong with majority'

ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela andANC election campaign head Fikile Mbabula greet the crowd at the Siyanqoba "we are winning" rally at the Coca-Cola Park stadium in Johannesburg,Sunday, 19 April 2009. It was the ANC'Sfinal election rally ahead of goingto the polls on April 22nd. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA
ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela andANC election campaign head Fikile Mbabula greet the crowd at the Siyanqoba "we are winning" rally at the Coca-Cola Park stadium in Johannesburg,Sunday, 19 April 2009. It was the ANC'Sfinal election rally ahead of goingto the polls on April 22nd. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Kingdom Mabuza

Kingdom Mabuza

In what could be seen as the final push for a two-thirds majority and a victory in the elections, ANC president Jacob Zuma yesterday said there was nothing wrong in his party having a massive majority in Parliament.

"There is nothing in the Constitution that says a massive majority for the ruling party is bad for democracy, especially a party that has a track record of upholding the Constitution like the ANC," said Zuma.

He was addressing more than 80000 supporters at the Johannesburg Stadium and the adjacent Coca Cola Park.

Opposition parties have cautioned South Africans against voting for the ANC to prevent it from receiving a two-thirds majority, which they claim the party would use to change the Constitution.

"In 15 years that it has been in power the ANC has never tried to subvert the rulings of the Constitutional Court," Zuma said.

The ANC Siyanqoba rally was given a moral boost by the attendance of former president Nelson Mandela.

Leaning on Zuma's shoulder, Mandela was assisted onto the podium with chants of "Shosholoza Mandela" by the crowd.

"The ANC has a historical responsibility to lead the nation," Mandela told ANC supporters via a video message.

ANC election campaign leader Fikile Mbalula told the rally that "the ANC (Mandela) is here, the unifying force is here".

Zuma said Mandela had attended the rally voluntarily.

He said the ANC was committed to constitutional governance, the independence of the judiciary and respect for due process of the rule of law.

"We reiterate that like all institutions, the judiciary is also expected to undergo transformation."

He also said the media must be transformed to reflect society in terms of ownership, staffing, gender and content.

Zuma applauded the youth for adding colour to the ANC campaign.

He said people should join the ANC to reach a goal of quality, free and compulsory education.

He said government would continue to provide the vulnerable with grants.

Zuma said his party "ran a good race" in the run-up to Wednesday's poll.

"We kept our eyes on the ball and played the ball, not a person."

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