Fikile Mbalula Drops Bitter Truth As ANC Top Brass Takes Heat For Failure

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has said the party’s current leadership is accountable for the ANC’s results and performance in the 2026 local government elections. His comments signal that the party’s top officials will be expected to take responsibility for any losses in councils, metros and provinces, rather than blaming individual candidates or past decisions.

The remarks come as early results from the November 4 vote show the ANC facing setbacks in several areas, including KwaZulu-Natal, where Mbalula had earlier acknowledged the party anticipated defeat. Accountability at this level matters because municipal elections are often a test of how a governing party is judged by ordinary voters, who measure it by water supply, potholes, electricity and the responsiveness of local councillors.

Mbalula’s stance also reflects a broader pressure within the party. The ANC has spent several years facing criticism over service delivery failures in municipalities, many of which it governs, as well as internal disputes over candidate selection. Earlier in the campaign, the party chose not to announce mayoral candidates ahead of the vote, a decision its national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, defended as keeping the focus on the party rather than individuals. Mbalula’s comments suggest that the leadership now accepts that the results will be read as a verdict on the party as a whole.

For South African voters, the question is what accountability will look like in practice. Political parties often promise reviews after elections, but these are not always followed by visible changes in how councils are run. Residents in areas where ward results have shifted, including parts of eThekwini and Pietermaritzburg, will be watching whether the party’s promises translate into better service delivery and more responsive ward councillors.

The timing is also significant. Coalition negotiations are likely to begin once the final results are confirmed, and the ANC’s bargaining position will depend on how many councils it retains and where it has lost ground. A party that is seen to be taking responsibility may find it easier to negotiate with potential partners, while one that appears defensive could struggle to build the trust needed for stable governance.

Mbalula’s remarks also raise a wider question about the ANC’s internal culture. For many years, the party’s structures have been criticised for protecting leaders who have underperformed, and for appointing candidates with weak links to the communities they serve. If the party follows through on its statement, it may need to revisit how it selects councillors, how it measures performance in government, and how it responds to complaints from ratepayers.

For now, the statement is a signal rather than a plan. The party’s members and voters will judge it by what happens next, including whether the leadership announces concrete steps to address the causes of the losses and whether those steps lead to better governance in the communities that delivered the verdict.

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