Ramaphosa: Voters taught the ANC a lesson
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africans will again punish the ANC during the 2019 elections, if the party does not start listening.
Speaking at the official launch of OR Tambo Fridays in Ivory Park, Ramaphosa said people want the ANC of Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela to return.
"We must listen to what the people are saying, because if we don't listen then we will lose," said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa, who is one of the frontrunners to replace President Jacob Zuma as ANC leader in December, used the party's poor performance at the polls last year as example.
"Many of our people did not vote for us. They stayed away. They said we are going to teach you a lesson, because we see you acting in a corrupt manner, we see you wasting resources and we see you stealing money and they say we are going to punish you and they did punish you," said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa said this must be rectified.
"Comrades, we have heard and we don't want our people to punish us anymore. We must reclaim the ANC of Mandela, ANC of Oliver Tambo, ANC of Walter Sisulu, ANC of Albertina Sisulu and we want it back and we want it back now," Ramaphosa said to a cheering crowd.
Ramaphosa said money and competition for resources are dividing the ANC.
"Never allow control of resources or money to come in between you comrades, you must not allow that. If you allow that, this unity that you have is going to be destroyed."