Mbalula: We expected to be totally wiped out in KZN

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ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. Picture: X / @MbalulaFikile

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party knew its election disaster was coming and was expecting far worse in KZN.

Mbalula was speaking as results from the 2026 Local Government Elections drew to a close, with the party licking its wounds. The party’s national share of the votes dropped from 45.59% in 2021 to 30.91% this year.

In KZN, Jacob Zuma’s MK party received around 34%, with the ANC only receiving 20.5%. The party got 41.4% in 2021.

Mbalula admitted that the party “knew this disaster was coming” and that the middle class had “turned against the ANC”.

“We are staring at it. The official polls of the ANC told us that we would be at 34%. We knew what we were up against. We put up a fight to push back.”

He said they were upbeat because they expected to be “totally wiped out.”

“We knew we were up against a mountain. We were shocked because it gave us a result. It shows the ANC steadily coming back”

Mbalula said, as the party lost control of dozens of municipalities, people had spoken, and the ANC had heard not only “an embrace” but a judgement.

“We recognise their concerns. We will not question their judgement or explain away their decisions. We will confront the reasons why people who once saw the ANC as their political home have become disillusioned with our movement.

He admitted that local governments have failed voters and said residents “have every right to demand better”.

“We cannot ask people to trust us just merely because of our history. It gives us a responsibility to serve, not an entitlement to govern. The ANC must earn the confidence of the people through what it does today and what it delivers tomorrow.

“We will accept this lesson with humility.”

Mbalula said it was important for South Africans to understand that the ANC still “leads the government of national unity (GNU), holds the presidency, and the great instruments of the national state.”

“That government serves every municipality in this country, all 257. Not according to how a community voted, but according to the constitution, which binds the national government to support local government everywhere and to secure basic services for every household.”

He said the ANC will use its national power to intervene where municipalities fail and “improve the lives of people”.

Mbalula said no formal talks on a coalition had begun, and ANC leadership would meet soon to map out its action plan for negotiations. He said the party would put service delivery at the centre of discussions.

“The ANC will not be in a hurry to get into coalitions. That is not the only option. There is also an option to sit in opposition.

“We will look at every municipality and see what options are before us, and that will be settled by the National Executive Committee.”

He said the party is “not in the business of begging for a mayorship or any other position.”

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