Cape Town – African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has acknowledged that the party can no longer expect voters to give it an automatic mandate, as it seeks to rebuild trust ahead of the 4 November 2026 local government elections.
Speaking at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Gonubie, Eastern Cape, on Sunday, Mbalula admitted that corruption and weak leadership had damaged the ANC’s relationship with communities.
According to IOL, Mbalula said only 15% of municipalities achieved clean audits in 2024/25.
“We know that in some places corruption and weak leadership have betrayed the trust of communities,” he said.
He also pointed to the ANC’s declining electoral support, saying its share of the national municipal vote fell from 53.9% in 2016 to 45.59% in 2021, while the number of hung councils increased from 27 to 66.
“The voters spoke to us in 2021,” Mbalula said. “We have heard that message, and we take it seriously.”
ANC promises renewal
Mbalula said the party’s renewal programme would focus on accountability and the conduct of its councillors.
“Renewal in the ANC is not a slogan; it must be measured in conduct,” he said.
The Citizen reported that the ANC plans to require every councillor to sign a public performance agreement and an ethical conduct pledge. ANC-led municipalities would also be required to publish a state-of-the-municipality report within 60 days, detailing their finances and service delivery.
The party has also promised a 100-day municipal programme targeting basic service-delivery problems, including repairing streetlights and potholes, fixing water leaks and sewage spills, and clearing illegal dumping.
Mbalula’s admission comes as the ANC faces a highly competitive municipal election, with voter trust emerging as a major concern.
The IEC recently warned of declining confidence in South Africa’s democratic institutions. IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said only 17% of adults surveyed were satisfied with the country’s democratic trajectory, while 68% were dissatisfied.
Meanwhile, Business Day reported that the ANC has suffered the largest number of ward-level losses since the 2021 local elections, with the IFP, DA, PA, EFF and MK Party all gaining wards in subsequent by-elections.
With the local government elections approaching, Mbalula said the ANC would have to convince voters through its performance rather than rely on its historical support.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
