President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned political parties not to celebrate early thinking the African National Congress (ANC) will lose power.
He said when he told Parliament this was the last State of the Nation Address (Sona) he did not suggest that they will be out of power, but this was the end of the current term of his administration.
This was after ANC parliamentarians said they were coming back. Ramaphosa said the ANC will retain its majority in parliament.
Ramaphosa is yet to announce the election date, but parties are already campaigning across the country.
The ANC will launch its manifesto in Durban on February 24.
Ramaphosa was delivering the last Sona before the elections. However, he said they will back in power after the elections.
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe said earlier they were campaigning to win the elections.
They were not in the race to get into coalitions, but they want an outright victory.
Ramaphosa said political parties must not celebrate early thinking they will be defeated in the polls.
“In isiZulu we are saying we are coming back. When we are back people will say we are indeed back. Those who are celebrating when I say this is the last Sona, they are thinking we are not coming back. we are coming back here,” said Ramaphosa.
The ANC has been in power for the last three decades and Ramaphosa will finish his term of office this year.
His spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said this week the president will announce the date of the elections in the next few days.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa conducted its last registration weekend last weekend.
However, the IEC said those who were not registered they can still do so on their online platform.
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