South African President Jacob Zuma Blames 'Witchcraft' for His Party's Recent Failure

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has blamed witchcraft for the ANC failure to beat the ruling Democratic Alliance at the polls in the Western Cape.

Addressing a packed Lwandle Hall‚ in Strand‚ on Thursday‚ Zuma said ghosts might even been voting to keep the DA in power.

Zuma’s address was done in both isiZulu and isiXhosa.

“I don’t know where they get the luck to win here because people in the majority are not living comfortable. I don’t know‚ [maybe] it’s because of witchcraft‚ witches practice their craft in different ways‚” said Zuma.

He said nowadays witches even used electricity.

“In the last elections I was satisfied that we are taking the Western Cape‚ I even said so. What went wrong? I too can’t tell you. It’s witchcraft‚ you never know. Maybe even ghosts are voting‚” said Zuma.

His address comes a year after the party took a massive beating in the 2016 Local Government Elections‚ losing all councils.

In the City of Cape Town‚ the DA won back the municipality with a two-thirds majority.

Zuma‚ who was close to 6 hours late for the event‚ was addressing the ANC cadres forum gathering.

He had first visited hall‚ nicknamed The Mall‚ in the area. Its name came about because poor residents decided to invade the hall and build shacks inside making it resemble a shopping centre or a mall.

Zuma said he had never seen anything like it in his life‚ leading him to question how the DA kept winning elections in the province.

“When you are in Rondebosch‚ it’s as if you are overseas‚ all is going well but if you come this side [townships]‚ it’s like a different country‚” said Zuma.

He urged the ANC to win back the province‚ saying if they win it back he would bring them cattle from Nkandla to celebrate‚ even if it happens when he is retired.

Zuma said the ANC was a party which was backed by both the ancestors and God.

Zuma also had words for his political opponents‚ saying he was not going to leave office until his term ended.

“There is not a single country where its president face eight votes [of no confidences] in parliament and all of them failed. The last time ...they used large sums of money‚ buying people‚ money that is hard to say no to‚” said Zuma.

He said his opponents during the motion were so desperate that they ended up pleading with him to please step down but could not come up with reasons for him to step down.

“Ancestors would abandon me if I would leave because of people who talk a lot .... I will be with you‚ even when my term has ended. I will be in branches‚ speaking‚” said Zuma.

He said he would never disappear even if people poisoned him.

- TimesLIVE