Jacob Zuma, party president, told a Khayelitsha crowd on Sunday there was a election battle ahead and the ANC must simply win the Western Cape election.

Hundreds of residents braved the cold to listen to Zuma and other ANC leaders.

“We must not only be ready, but we must be united,” Zuma said. He spoke Xhosa throughout his speech.

He joined Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, chair of the ANC Women’s League and minister of the interior, who said party members have to put aside “small differences” if they want to win the election.

“That means we have to forget about the small differences at branch level. We have never had a solid majority in the Western Cape. It is time to forget the differences,” she said.

The Western Cape has a history of discord. The party cannot afford to be divided. It is time for us to make a plan to win the Western Cape for the ANC, she said.

“To those who have forgotten where we come from – those who have become easy-going – I want to say: Let us unite in the name of freedom fighters and bring this crazy disunity to an end.”

Zwelinzima Vavi, secretary-general of Cosatu, agreed with these remarks and said unity was very important in the province.

He said Sunday’s meeting should serve as catalyst for unity in all ANC branches, regions and the province.

He said the meeting should be seen as the beginning of the end for the DA ruled city of Cape Town.

“It is critical for us to enlarge our majority in next year’s provincial election. Even more important is the critical challenge we face in Cape Town. We must ensure that we see the backs of the DA and its leader, Helen Zille.

“We cannot allow the province to be the domain of those who want to ensure that our revolution only benefits the bosses.

“We must make sure we do not find ourselves in the same position as that of Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe.

“We must win the election purely on the grounds that we can show the voters that we have improved to lives of the people,” Vavi said.