The African National Congress (ANC) finds itself at another crucial political juncture as anticipation builds ahead of its announcement of mayoral candidates this Saturday in Sandton and the subsequent launch of its party manifesto in Diepsloot on Sunday.
Having ceded sole power after forming a government of national unity following the 2024 general elections, the ruling party stands at another precipice of power, with its electoral popularity widely perceived to be waning.
Ahead of this weekend’s events, political detractors expect the party to present recycled versions of its previous manifestos. Citing municipal service delivery failures - largely attributed to widespread corruption across various councils where the party governs - political commentators have raised questions about whether the ANC will introduce visionary milestones or repeat familiar political rhetoric.
In defence of its governance record leading up to the mayoral candidates’ unveilings, the ANC hosted two media briefing sessions on 12 and 16 August 2026 to review its previous 2021 local government elections manifesto.
The party used the review sessions to present its achievements under the theme Building Better Communities Together: A People’s Plan for a Better Life for All’, while serving as the launchpad for this weekend’s activities.
Following the briefings, the ANC emphasised its commitment to its inclusive approach that saw it open the candidacy platform to party outsiders.
“The Mayoral Candidate announcement will provide an opportunity for the ANC to introduce the men and women who will carry the organisation’s mandate of building capable, accountable and responsive local government,” the party said in an official statement.
It continued: “The event forms part of the ANC’s commitment to presenting communities with leadership that is ready to serve, rebuild confidence and accelerate the delivery of better communities.”
Outlining the background of its policy platform, the party stated:
The ANC further outlined that its 2026 manifesto is informed by extensive consultation with communities; an assessment of the implementation of the 2021 Local Government Elections Manifesto, as well as the ANC’s vision to strengthen local government and improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
The latest manifesto is therefore expected to echo those briefing sessions, focusing on planned strides in housing provision, power grid stability, and water access, amongst others.
Navigating the administrative complexities brought about by fragile local coalition governments across major councils is also expected to feature significantly in the party’s policy statement ahead of the 4 November 2026 local polls.
University of the Free State (UFS) academic and political commentator, Professor Sethulego Matebesi, believes the governing party faces the difficult task of aligning its pledges with visible municipal performance.
“You need to align service delivery with what you are doing and what you are promising. And I think that's where the difficulty will come for the African National Congress,” he said.
In an interview with Journal News Network, Matebesi noted that the ANC has maintained ideological consistency across successive democratic election cycles, highlighting that policy design remains thoroughly articulated in the party’s published and widely accessible foundational documents.
Matebesi, however, cautions that a persistent gap remains between technical document design and the practical realities experienced by citizens on the ground.
He views severe infrastructure decay and municipal instability in urban centres as key drivers of widespread voter frustration.
“The manifestos are clearly articulated: what the party wants to achieve. But then you go to observe anywhere where the ANC is in power, then you get a completely different picture,” he stated.
Matebesi expects the manifesto to publicly acknowledge existing governance flaws and propose corrective remedies – an attribute the ANC has become renowned for.
He emphasises that while many citizens still regard the party as dominant, electoral support is no longer guaranteed. He believes the ANC’s electoral prospects remain complex as service delivery breakdowns and corruption allegations continue to erode core support.
According to Matebesi, another major risk involves alienated voters choosing total political apathy over supporting opposition parties.
“They are sitting at home to say, ‘I’ve washed my hands of politics... because I've been so disappointed by one and the only party that I know’,” Matebesi noted.
The ANC has since adopted an inclusive candidate selection process allowing public participation in councillor nominations as a direct response to the growing voter disillusionment.
Matebesi considers this public nomination process a strategic step that may potentially succeed in rebuilding public trust.
“It was a masterclass from the ANC to reach out to communities to say, irrespective of who you are, when it comes to our candidate, you've got an opportunity to either stand or you have an opportunity to support whoever stands,” he concluded.
