Mbalula: ANC’s Election Result Was Catastrophic

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has openly described the party’s performance in the 2026 local government elections as “catastrophic”. Speaking at the results centre on Saturday, he told journalists that the outcome was a heavy blow for the movement, even though the ANC remains the biggest party in the country.

Preliminary figures show the ANC’s national support dropping sharply to around 31 percent. This is a big fall from the 45.6 percent it received in the 2021 local elections. The party has also lost more than 1,500 council seats. It previously held over half of all seats across the country. Now that share sits closer to one-third.

The losses hit hard in the big cities. The ANC lost control of six of the eight metros. It only kept Buffalo City and Mangaung. In places like Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Cape Town, the Democratic Alliance is leading. In KwaZulu-Natal, Jacob Zuma’s MK Party pushed the ANC down sharply, taking about 34 percent while the ANC managed around 20 percent.

Mbalula said the party saw the trouble coming. Internal polls had pointed to support around 34 percent. He admitted that many voters, especially middle-class people, turned their backs on the ANC. Problems with water, electricity and the rising cost of living made it hard for the party to win people over in the municipalities it has governed. He also pointed to internal divisions inside the organisation.

“This has been a catastrophic outcome for the ANC,” Mbalula said. “As much as we are the largest party, it has been catastrophic for the movement. We cannot ask the people to trust us merely because of our history.”

He stressed that the party will not rush into coalition deals. It will not “beg” for mayorships or top positions. Options include forming coalitions, supporting other parties on key issues, or sitting in opposition if the deals are not right. The National Executive Committee will meet this week to study the results in detail and decide how to handle hung councils across the country.

Mbalula said the party must go back, fix its branches, and improve how it governs. He promised the ANC would listen to voters and work harder for ordinary people who still wait for basic services. The full final results are expected soon.

Source: https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2119068244526956900?a=3lN5zLkip7YXiHuj9yg&s=19