Malema's comments blamed for decline

ANC faces internal revolt in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West

AS IT faces internal revolt in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West, the ANC yesterday admitted that its decline in all the provinces except KwaZulu-Natal was "worrying".

"We noted and we are worried about the downward trend in all the provinces except KwaZulu-Natal," ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe told the media.

Nationally the ANC won 62 percent of the votes in this year's local government elections - a drop from the 66 percent it achieved in the 2006 elections.

Mantashe also expressed concern about the ANC's decline in minority communities.

He ascribed the decline to some of the remarks made by ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema - who during the electioneering campaign referred to whites as "criminals".

"People would be switched off by comments they feel are racist but we are still too over-sensitive," he said.

Mantashe also said it was not ANC policy to make such racist remarks.

His comments come on the back of protests by ANC members in the mentioned areas - where they are objecting to the party's newly elected councillors.

In North West the Cosatu leadership has accused the party of ignoring the list of candidates the labour federation wanted as part of the new local government.

In a new development, Mantashe said national executive committee member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma would lead a seven-member team tasked with probing possible irregularities in the party's list processes.

The other members of the task team are Naledi Pandor, Ellen Molekane, James Steward, Lehlohonolo Moloi, Nonzwakazi Sigxashe and Archie Whitehead.

Mantashe said the ANC was "proud" to have 5633 councillors across the country, which came down to a presence in every council in the country.

"These results must be celebrated because they constitute a massive victory for our movement," he said.