Boksburg, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) has openly acknowledged that the upcoming 2026 local government elections represent the most challenging electoral contest in the party’s history. The admission emerged during a special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, convened to finalise and adopt the party’s manifesto ahead of the November 4 polls.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula told delegates that the party is confronting a steep uphill battle, having shed support down to a 40% national percentage. He stressed that the campaign must be handled “carefully and in a dynamic way” to reverse the decline.
“These elections are difficult on many fronts, and the ANC tends to deal with that and is dealing with the challenges posed by the election campaign itself,” Mbalula said. “We come from a 40% mark from the national percentage, shedding support. We hope that we will be in a position to talk a different outcome come the 4th of November.”
A Convergence of Electoral Headwinds
The ANC’s difficulties are rooted in recent electoral history. In the 2021 local government elections, the party fell below the 50% threshold for the first time, securing just 46% of the vote. Compounding the challenge, its long-standing ally the South African Communist Party (SACP) has once again opted to contest independently rather than back the ANC ticket. Adding further pressure, a record 620 political parties are expected to contest the 2026 local elections, fragmenting the vote across an increasingly crowded field.
Mayoral Candidates Delayed by Vetting Process
With roughly 90 days remaining before voters head to the polls, the ANC has yet to unveil its mayoral candidates. Mbalula attributed the delay to an internal vetting exercise designed to prevent scandals.
“We have undergone a process of vetting of these people, which is what is delaying us, because we don’t want to announce people and tomorrow they’ve got scandals and all of that,” he explained. “We are thorough in terms of the process. We will unveil them leading up to the manifesto launch on the 23rd.”
According to the party’s schedule, mayoral candidates will be formally unveiled on August 19 at the Jabulani Amphitheatre in Soweto. The full manifesto launch will follow on August 23 at River Park in Diepsloot.
Mbalula Rejects “Dishing Money” Allegations, Vows Legal Action
The NEC gathering also surfaced internal tensions. Mbalula addressed allegations — attributed publicly to NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma — that he had “dished money” at a party conference attended by more than 5,000 delegates to secure leadership elections.
He denied the claims outright. “There was no breaking in my house that found money or anything of that sort. I didn’t dish any money to anyone, and that is a fact,” Mbalula stated.
He outlined a two-pronged response: first, referring the matter to the ANC’s Integrity Commission for internal resolution; and second, pursuing a legal course of action to trace the origin of the allegations.
Dlamini-Zuma was absent from Friday’s NEC session, reportedly travelling in Cuba at the time.
Looking Ahead to November 4
With the manifesto now formally adopted, the ANC faces the task of rebuilding voter trust in a political landscape markedly different from previous local election cycles. The party’s leadership has signalled that its campaign strategy will centre on addressing service-delivery concerns and presenting what Mbalula described as a “different outcome” for South Africa’s municipalities.
Whether that message resonates with an electorate that has increasingly turned to opposition and independent formations will be determined on November 4, 2026.
