'Negative narrative' about Zuma hurt ANC at polls - Mantashe
23 August 2016
Johannesburg - A constant "negative narrative" about President Jacob Zuma, including the issue of his Nkandla homestead, hurt the ANC in the local government elections, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday.
"We said, among the issues in our analysis that we had, was the negative narrative that was consistent towards the president of the ANC. That would include a number of issues that are raised in the public domain, including Nkandla," Mantashe told reporters in Johannesburg.
"That is one of the issues we are grappling with, because we must deal with it, whether it is a fact or a perception. Any perception left unattended is more dangerous than facts.
"Every negative narrative that went to the president, did hit at the ANC because you can't separate the president of an organisation from the organisation... it will actually hurt the organisation. We acknowledge that, upfront."