DURBAN – ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula addressed thousands of party volunteers at a mobilisation assembly in Overport, eThekwini, as the organisation intensifies preparations for the upcoming local government elections.
The gathering at the local sports stadium brought together approximately 10,000 volunteers from across KwaZulu-Natal as part of the ANC’s renewal and community mobilisation programme. Volunteers received marching orders to conduct door-to-door campaigns, engaging residents person-to-person to build support for the party.
Speaking at the event, the ANC regional coordinator outlined the party’s electoral target for the eThekwini municipality. “We have put for ourselves a target of 1.2 million votes so that we are able to control the municipality alone,” the coordinator said. They noted that the municipality is currently governed by a coalition of political parties, which the ANC believes has contributed to ongoing service delivery challenges.
The coordinator acknowledged residents’ concerns regarding water and electricity supply but emphasised that solutions are underway. They cited the Umkhomazi Dam project as a long-term measure to ensure full water coverage for the city, alongside interim interventions to address electricity infrastructure challenges. “We are not saying we are without challenges. We know there are challenges, but what we are saying is there’s a commitment to fix those challenges,” they stated.
The volunteer mobilisation effort comes as the ANC also advances its internal candidate selection process. The coordinator reported that branch-level meetings are proceeding peacefully, with communities actively participating in nominations. “There’s peace in our branch meetings. There is no longer the infighting that used to exist. Now the organisation is sailing smoothly,” they said, adding that timelines for candidate finalisation will be met.
The event also served to encourage voter registration ahead of the national voter registration weekend scheduled for 20–21 June. Volunteers were urged to ensure community members are registered to participate in the elections.
Mbalula’s address, delivered alongside members of the ANC’s National Executive Committee and provincial leadership, underscored the strategic importance of eThekwini—one of the largest metropolitan regions in KwaZulu-Natal and nationally. Party leaders emphasised that volunteers, including significant representation from youth and women, will play a critical role in conveying the ANC’s message of renewal and service delivery commitment to voters across the municipality.
