2026 local elections a crucial test as ANC faces growing pressures, Ramaphosa says
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says only committed and trustworthy candidates can help restore voter confidence and secure a win in the upcoming 2026 local government elections.
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the upcoming 2026 local government elections will be a vital test for the party, and that to secure victory it must field its most “dedicated, honest and capable candidates.”
Ramaphosa made the remarks on Thursday during his closing address at the National General Council (NGC) meeting at the Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, where the organisation reviewed its performance.
He said the NGC acknowledged that local government remains the sphere of government closest to the daily lives of South Africans.
“Accordingly, the role of local government in all socioeconomic transformation is central to the development agenda of our country.
“The NGC has affirmed today that municipal administration in South Africa is capable and that professional administration must be insulated from undue political interference,” he said.
He warned against political meddling in procurement processes, water services and general municipal operations.
Ramaphosa added that as the review of the White Paper on Local Government continues, ANC structures must ensure the resulting framework meets all objectives of an improved and accountable local government system.
He said the NGC also reaffirmed the important role of traditional and political leadership in ensuring joint planning between municipalities and traditional councils.
The council further mandated the government to ensure that the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development and traditional leadership institutions resolve outstanding land reform matters.
Ramaphosa said the district development model must remain the primary mechanism for integrated planning, budgeting and service delivery across all levels of government, with the guiding principle of “one plan, one budget, one approach”.
“Next year we will contest the 2026 local government election. This will be an important test of the extent to which we manage to renew the support and confidence of our people,” he said.
“To win decisively, the ANC must field our most dedicated, honest and competent candidates.
“We must also work tirelessly in voting districts, going door to door to explain why the ANC remains the only party that can meet the needs of all our country’s people.”
He claimed that the door-to-door strategy had historically been effective.
“In 1994 and throughout various elections we were able to acquire high levels of support because we focused on door-to-door.
“We even reached a point where we knew how each household would vote. Our network was rich, it was good, it was great.”
Ramaphosa’s comments come as the ANC faces an uphill battle to retain key urban municipalities in 2026 amid corruption allegations and failing service delivery.
The rise of the MK Party, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, has added further pressure, with the party recently winning another ward from the ANC.
Mandeni Local Municipality’s Ward 17 became vacant after the ANC suspended councillor Siphesihle Ntuli following a criminal complaint by the family of slain resident Siyabonga Makhoba.
In the by-election, the ANC’s candidate received just 36% of the vote, while the MK Party secured 48%.
The result stripped the ANC of its majority in the 35-seat council, leaving it with 17 seats.
ANC NEC member Dickson Masemola previously told IOL News that the party was “not shaken” by the MK Party’s growth in KwaZulu-Natal, despite warnings that Jacob Zuma’s party could secure outright majorities in some municipalities.
Masemola admitted the ANC had performed poorly in the province, as well as in the May 2024 general elections, which led to the formation of the Government of National Unity.
“The ANC in the 2024 national and provincial elections did not perform as we expected. It came as a surprise,” he said.
However, he insisted the party was regaining lost ground and working closely with provincial and regional structures.
“I am confident the people of KZN don’t dislike the ANC. There were things not properly handled before the national elections. But we are gradually regaining ground and political presence.”
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said the NGC confirmed that central to the ANC’s mission is driving inclusive economic growth, creating jobs and promoting equality.
“We have embarked on a path of economic recovery and transformation. Like the renewal of our movement, this recovery is beginning to gain momentum.”
He said the difficult years were giving way to “a new era of progress, confidence and hope”.
“Our task now is to ensure that our country and its people see the effects of the changes we have brought about in their lives. They must feel the benefit of jobs being created, new businesses starting up, young people gaining skills, services being reliably delivered, and social infrastructure being built.”
He said communities must also feel safe and receive honest, helpful and accountable public service.
“As we depart from this NGC, as we return to our communities, let us be more determined than ever to bring about the changes our country needs,” he said.
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