ANC President Jacob Zuma has again boasted that the ruling party would not be conquered until “Jesus comes back”.

Zuma, who was addressing thousands of supporters in Witbank, Mpumalanga, yesterday, said: ‘‘The ANC will rule until the Son of Man comes. He must come back while we are still in power.”

The ANC president was roundly criticised by religious leaders shortly before the elections when he invoked the name of Jesus to illustrate the ruling party’s hold on power.

Zuma, who was in Mpumalanga to thank party members for their support during the general election, said: ‘‘We want the ANC to win all the forthcoming elections and rule this country.”

He said there was no party that could challenge the power of the ANC, and that there were no divisions between the government and the ruling party.

‘‘The government is the daughter of the ANC. The government is there and it is yours to be proud of, to criticise when necessary so that it can do the right things.’’

He added that the strength of the ANC was through its alliance with Cosatu and the South African Communist Party. He did not elaborate on this remark.

Zuma said people should be involved in the day-to-day running of the government. The stadium was treated to dancing and music by local artists.

The president said the government could not operate in isolation and needed to be in contact with people. This would help uproot lazy and incompetent workers .

“We want efficient people. I don’t want corrupt people in government because their actions cause them to steal money intended for the poor.”

The president assured ANC members that the promised telephone hotline to his office would be operational by next week. — The Times, Avusa Group News