eThekwini – ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in eThekwini for a two-day campaign drive as the party seeks to regain support lost to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party ahead of the local government elections.
Ramaphosa is expected to conduct door-to-door visits and address community meetings during what has been described as his final campaign visit to the metro before the November polls.
The ANC faces a significant challenge in eThekwini after the MK Party emerged as a major force in the 2024 national and provincial elections, winning 48% of the vote in the metro.
During his visit to KwaDene and eMakabeni, Ramaphosa said he had engaged directly with residents about their experiences and the challenges affecting their communities.
“It has been a pleasure to be here in KwaDene and at eMakabeni, spending time with our leaders here, but more particularly with our people, getting into their homes, meeting them in the streets and getting to hear their stories,” he said.
Ramaphosa said some residents had settled in the area after experiencing conflict during apartheid, adding that they had since seen development in their communities.
He said residents had expressed appreciation for the work being done by the ANC, but acknowledged that unemployment and water shortages remained major concerns.
“Many of our people here are expressing a concern about jobs, and currently water. They are raising the issue of water, but we’ve been able to explain to them that we are addressing the water challenge,” he said.
LGE 2026 | ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks to the media during a doorstop in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, saying it is a pleasure to be in the province. He also addresses ongoing water challenges affecting communities. https://t.co/bofVmkJ36Y
— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 28, 2026
Ramaphosa said the municipality was working to address bulk water supply problems and install infrastructure to improve water provision.
He said water tankers were being used as a temporary measure while the necessary infrastructure was put in place.
“We have insourced, for instance, the water provision through the trucking of water as a temporary measure, whilst we wait to resolve the water problem by installing proper infrastructure, by ensuring that there is proper reticulation,” he said.
The president expressed confidence that the ANC would regain its majority in the eThekwini metro council, arguing that the party had made significant contributions to the city’s development.
He also pointed to efforts to restore Durban’s position as a leading tourism destination, citing initiatives involving the port, rail network, logistics and municipal governance.
“The ANC has done enormous positive work here, and many of our people are seeing that we are revamping eThekwini Durban and making sure that it becomes the tourism mecca of our country once again,” Ramaphosa said.
His campaign visit comes as the ANC attempts to rebuild its support in KwaZulu-Natal, where the MK Party made significant gains in the 2024 elections.
The local government elections are scheduled for November 2026, with eThekwini expected to be a key battleground for the parties competing to control the metro.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
