ANC Tshwane’s prospects of returning to power will not rest on the party’s ability to strike a deal with other political parties, but in regaining favour with the city’s citizens.

This is the view of outgoing regional task team convenor Kgosientso “Sputla” Ramokgopa.

Ramokgopa’s status of chairperson has been turned to that of a convenor as he and his regional executive committee’s mandate had expired.

The politician, who also served as the city’s mayor until the ANC failed to win the 2016 local government elections, said there were some positives from the “crisis” which resulted in voters deciding not to support his political party.

Internal divisions in the Tshwane ANC leading up to the elections resulted in violent protests across South Africa’s capital city.

“One of the most spectacular setbacks of the ANC in Tshwane during our term of office was the experience at the polls, rejection of our people,” said Ramokgopa to journalists on the side lines of the regional conference, currently underway in Irene, Pretoria.

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He said the loss gave the ANC a chance to retreat and have some “self-introspection” and “self-criticism” on where it went wrong.

Ramokgopa also insisted that preparation for the much-anticipated conference had not been marred by any tension between members as branches met to discuss leadership and vision for their movement.

The former mayor said the outcome of the 2016 elections gave people a chance to really see if, indeed, it was true that where the DA governed, it governed better – saying this had been “invalidated” in the capital city.

He said the local government polls were also a lesson for everyone in the party to know what could go wrong and not to be complacent. 

“Prospects of returning to returning to power has very little to do with favours extended to us by any smaller parties, but our ability to show that out of this conference and the product of this conference continues to unite our people,” said Ramokgopa.

The former mayor said he wanted the ANC to be on the side of the people at all times.