The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has pledged to address deep-rooted political and administrative challenges in municipalities following its recent Provincial Alliance Summit. The summit, held over the weekend, brought together over 500 delegates, including alliance partners such as the South African Communist Party (SACP), COSATU, SANCO, and traditional leaders.
Concerns Over Selective Targeting of ANC Municipalities
Mike Mabuyakhulu, the ANC’s provincial task team coordinator, highlighted concerns that ANC-led municipalities were being disproportionately scrutinized over allegations of maladministration. While acknowledging the need for accountability, Mabuyakhulu called for consistency in addressing governance failures across all municipalities, regardless of the ruling party.
“We accept that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has a legal mandate to act, but we advocate for fairness. There should be no selective targeting—action must be taken against any municipality failing its mandate, whether ANC-led or not,” Mabuyakhulu stated during an interview with Newsfeed PM.
Audit Reveals Poor Spending and Governance Gaps
A provincial assessment report presented at the summit revealed alarming inefficiencies, including underspending of conditional grants. Out of R8.22 billion allocated to municipalities, only R3.6 billion (37%) had been utilized. Mabuyakhulu emphasized that the ANC would hold its deployees accountable, particularly in underperforming municipalities.
“We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring accountability. Where immediate action is needed, we expect municipalities to report back by August,” he said.
Skills Audit and Local Economic Development
To address governance weaknesses, the ANC plans to conduct skills audits and fill critical vacancies in municipalities. Mabuyakhulu also stressed the importance of local economic development (LED) strategies to combat unemployment, urging municipalities to attract investment and create job opportunities.
“Unless we tackle unemployment at the local level, we cannot expect progress. Municipalities must have clear plans to grow their economies,” he added.
Task Teams Deployed to Strengthen Regions
As part of its renewal strategy, the ANC has deployed task teams to all 11 regions in KZN. These teams, comprising seasoned leaders and fresh faces, will focus on rebuilding party structures ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mabuyakhulu assured that the ANC was committed to turning municipalities around, whether under its governance or in coalition with other parties.
“Our goal is to put people first. We cannot allow any municipality to fail in delivering services,” he concluded.
With the 2026 elections approaching, the ANC’s ability to address these challenges will be crucial in restoring public confidence in local governance.
