The ANC has admitted that former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe severely impacted the ANC’s support in its stronghold provinces.

Addressing the media, Secretary General for the ANC Fikile Mbalula said the ruling party ran a very clean campaign and believed in the power of its message to the people.

However, it cannot be ignored that aside from Zuma’s resurgence to politics, the ANC was confronted with various service delivery issues such as water shortages and load shedding in its stronghold provinces.

Mbalula also criticized the media for presenting misleading headlines to the country, stating that the ANC has been “booted out”.