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| South Africa President Appeals for Ex-Backers to Return to Fold | South Africa President Appeals for Ex-Backers to Return to Fold |
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| SOWETO, South Africa — Battling an array of defectors from the African National Congress during a long campaign, President Jacob Zuma, speaking at the party’s final rally in a vast soccer stadium here on Sunday, urged former supporters to return to the A.N.C. | |
| With just three days left before the general election on Wednesday, Mr. Zuma extended a conciliatory hand to former colleagues, allies and backers who had become bitter rivals and critics. | With just three days left before the general election on Wednesday, Mr. Zuma extended a conciliatory hand to former colleagues, allies and backers who had become bitter rivals and critics. |
| “We thank all our people who have left the A.N.C., who responded to the call we made that they should return home,” he said. “We urge all others who are still in other parties to make the journey home.” | “We thank all our people who have left the A.N.C., who responded to the call we made that they should return home,” he said. “We urge all others who are still in other parties to make the journey home.” |
| The A.N.C. and opposition parties held their final rallies over the weekend after what experts describe as the most competitive election since the A.N.C. assumed power in 1994, then led by Nelson Mandela. The A.N.C. is expected to win in another landslide, polls show, but its margin of victory may fall below the 66 percent of the votes that it got in 2009 and that Mr. Zuma set as a goal this time. | The A.N.C. and opposition parties held their final rallies over the weekend after what experts describe as the most competitive election since the A.N.C. assumed power in 1994, then led by Nelson Mandela. The A.N.C. is expected to win in another landslide, polls show, but its margin of victory may fall below the 66 percent of the votes that it got in 2009 and that Mr. Zuma set as a goal this time. |
| Given the governing party’s dominance, a relatively poor showing, especially one below the symbolic barrier of 60 percent, could eventually jeopardize Mr. Zuma’s standing inside the party. | Given the governing party’s dominance, a relatively poor showing, especially one below the symbolic barrier of 60 percent, could eventually jeopardize Mr. Zuma’s standing inside the party. |
| It has been a difficult campaign for Mr. Zuma and the A.N.C. Mr. Zuma, 72, who was nearly prevented from becoming president five years ago because of a corruption case, was again dogged by charges of impropriety. In a report released in March, South Africa’s graft watchdog said that $23 million in public funds had been misused to make upgrades to the president’s private home in Nkandla. | It has been a difficult campaign for Mr. Zuma and the A.N.C. Mr. Zuma, 72, who was nearly prevented from becoming president five years ago because of a corruption case, was again dogged by charges of impropriety. In a report released in March, South Africa’s graft watchdog said that $23 million in public funds had been misused to make upgrades to the president’s private home in Nkandla. |
| Originally a liberation movement that still sees itself as a champion of the downtrodden, the A.N.C. is increasingly viewed as simply a political machine in an increasingly corrupt South Africa. Angry, jobless youths have rioted regularly in impoverished townships, which they have declared “no go” areas to the A.N.C. On Saturday in Bekkersdal, one such township a half-hour west of here, fewer than 1,000 residents showed up at a stadium for an A.N.C. event. | Originally a liberation movement that still sees itself as a champion of the downtrodden, the A.N.C. is increasingly viewed as simply a political machine in an increasingly corrupt South Africa. Angry, jobless youths have rioted regularly in impoverished townships, which they have declared “no go” areas to the A.N.C. On Saturday in Bekkersdal, one such township a half-hour west of here, fewer than 1,000 residents showed up at a stadium for an A.N.C. event. |
| A few days earlier safety concerns caused Mr. Zuma to cancel at the last minute a visit to Marikana, the area where striking mine workers were killed in 2012 by South African security forces. The killings, the worst since the end of apartheid, led to an outpouring of anger at the government, because of its handling of the strike and its perceived coziness with big business. | A few days earlier safety concerns caused Mr. Zuma to cancel at the last minute a visit to Marikana, the area where striking mine workers were killed in 2012 by South African security forces. The killings, the worst since the end of apartheid, led to an outpouring of anger at the government, because of its handling of the strike and its perceived coziness with big business. |
| “You will not find an Nkandla where the D.A. governs,” Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party, said at a rally. | “You will not find an Nkandla where the D.A. governs,” Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party, said at a rally. |
| A party traditionally associated with white South Africans, the Democratic Alliance has been making inroads among middle-class blacks and has also been campaigning in poor black townships. | A party traditionally associated with white South Africans, the Democratic Alliance has been making inroads among middle-class blacks and has also been campaigning in poor black townships. |
| The party that is expected to come in third, the Economic Freedom Fighters, was formed last year by Julius Malema, the former leader of the A.N.C.’s youth wing. His pledge to nationalize economic assets with no compensation has drawn interest from many jobless and frustrated youths, who would otherwise back the governing party. | The party that is expected to come in third, the Economic Freedom Fighters, was formed last year by Julius Malema, the former leader of the A.N.C.’s youth wing. His pledge to nationalize economic assets with no compensation has drawn interest from many jobless and frustrated youths, who would otherwise back the governing party. |
| At the rally here, the crowd’s reaction to Mr. Zuma was subdued. A long speech, in which he listed what he described as the accomplishments of his first term, elicited modest applause only a few times. Mr. Zuma, whose popularity has declined amid charges of corruption, was booed inside the stadium here during a national memorial for Mr. Mandela last December. | At the rally here, the crowd’s reaction to Mr. Zuma was subdued. A long speech, in which he listed what he described as the accomplishments of his first term, elicited modest applause only a few times. Mr. Zuma, whose popularity has declined amid charges of corruption, was booed inside the stadium here during a national memorial for Mr. Mandela last December. |
| He was not booed this time. But he spoke in a stadium with many sections of empty seats. Before his speech was over, hundreds started leaving, some to beat the traffic home, others to catch chartered buses, still others because of a lack of interest. | He was not booed this time. But he spoke in a stadium with many sections of empty seats. Before his speech was over, hundreds started leaving, some to beat the traffic home, others to catch chartered buses, still others because of a lack of interest. |
| “Nobody’s perfect, everybody makes mistakes, but we still support Zuma,” said one supporter, Siphiwe Matji, 32. | “Nobody’s perfect, everybody makes mistakes, but we still support Zuma,” said one supporter, Siphiwe Matji, 32. |
| Echoing Mr. Zuma’s invitation to former A.N.C. supporters, Ms. Matji added: “They will come back after the election. Outside it’s cold. Here it’s warm inside the A.N.C.” | Echoing Mr. Zuma’s invitation to former A.N.C. supporters, Ms. Matji added: “They will come back after the election. Outside it’s cold. Here it’s warm inside the A.N.C.” |