Johannesburg - Former Hawks head Berning Ntlemeza, co-founder of the newly formed African Congress for Transformation (ACT) party, says he is confident that their new party will sweep up neglected communities and those fed up with the ruling ANC.
Ntlemeza was back in the spotlight last week as he stood side by side with ousted (former) ANC bigwig Ace Magashule as he launched the new political party in Soweto.
The former top cop has been out of the spotlight since 2017 after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, ruled he had obtained the position unlawfully.
Having since left behind his uniform for the political rat race, Ntlemeza said he and Magashule had taken the brave step of joining hands to do the work long neglected by the ANC.
Ntlemeza claimed he had the Eastern Cape in his back pocket, especially considering the state of roads, poor water supply, load shedding and delivery of basic services (which) had been neglected for so long in communities with people simply calling for a change.
“We took the decision that the people of this country need a change; they are sick and tired of the empty promises. The people need only services and not more promises, and that is why we said this party is the people’s party.”
He added: “As ACT, we are saying here is the new home for traditional leaders, churches, healers, old people, youth and women; everyone must come because this is the new home for people who want to be served.”
According to Ntlemeza, their party was nothing to be sneezed at or taken lightly, as structures in all the regions in the Eastern Cape where he comes from had already been set up and were ready to garner support.
Aside from his hometown, he claimed their forces were also out in full force in places like Soweto, Welkom, Sasolburg, Mangaung, Botshabelo, Qwaqwa, and all other small towns where they received support in large numbers.
“They can claim that we are not a threat, but they will be very surprised come next year’s elections because they are going to get even fewer votes because we are finishing the ground.”
The former Hawks head stressed that the party was more focused on instilling discipline in its members and avoiding senseless fights with other political parties or stooping to bashing figures.
He did, however, issue a stern warning to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula after he berated the new party while addressing the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in Joburg.
“Our party is about discipline; no one will fight any party; no one will talk badly about any party, with the exception of people like Mbalula, who is just a boy. I want to warn Mbalula that I do not want to embarrass him.
“I say to all these political parties that we, as ACT, want to warn him (Mbalula) not to try to attack us because I will embarrass him; he is a very young boy. He must do his howling for his own party members, but he must not mention my name or Ace’s name,” he warned.
The Star