ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says ANC-led municipalities cannot operate as they wish while citizens continue to endure poor service delivery. 

He said that ANC-run municipalities must take urgent action to fix these issues.

Ramaphosa made the remarks following the party’s four-day National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Germiston Civic Centre on Monday.

Addressing NEC members, Ramaphosa said they were reminded that local government is the epicentre of infrastructure decline and poor service delivery.

“We agreed that we will show greater resolve and urgency in setting municipalities on a new path,” he said.

“The energy and determination being seen in cleaning up and fixing infrastructure in the eThekwini Metro should be translated into a national movement that must sweep through every town in our country.

“Our cities and towns – and specifically the communities on the ground – must feel and see that we are not going to allow municipalities to do as they wish while citizens endure the misery of poor service delivery.”

Ramaphosa acknowledged that ANC-led municipalities are struggling to deliver services.

Many municipalities across the country face significant challenges with service delivery, including potholes, water and electricity shortages, poor infrastructure development, inadequate sanitation, and corruption.

His comments come as the country gears up for the upcoming 2026 local government elections.

“The ANC branch remains the most important link with our people. This means that each and every one of us must ensure that we build strong activist branches that can represent the needs and aspirations of local communities,” he said.

Ramaphosa said a key part of the ANC’s renewal is building activist branches that are active in communities, engaging with local government and helping to resolve service delivery challenges.

He added that the ANC’s election strategy workshop had called for the establishment of a “service delivery war room” in every province and municipality.

“This is so we are able to build a responsive, people-centred and sustainable culture of dealing with the issues in all local municipalities, in line with our enduring commitment to build a better life for all,” he said.

“The marching order to all ANC-run municipalities and ward councillors is that we cannot proceed as if it continues to be business as usual.”

He said extraordinary measures are needed to address local government challenges.

The NEC will hold a special session in the coming weeks to focus more attention on these issues, he said.

“Preparations for the local government election campaign are underway. In April, we held our election strategy workshop.”

“Work is underway throughout the country to set up our election structures and appoint our election management. We call on all NEC members to ensure we give attention to the establishment of these election structures and ensure our most seasoned and experienced campaign managers are appointed to help with the campaign,” Ramaphosa added.

IOL News previously reported that Ramaphosa said the party is still struggling to understand the decision by the South African Communist Party (SACP) to contest the 2026 local government elections independently and not to back the ANC at the polls.

“We recognise that the South African Communist Party is an independent political organisation that has the right to contest elections as it sees fit,” he said.

He added that the ANC has no intention of interfering in the SACP’s decision.

“As we have indicated to the South African Communist Party, our ally, we disagree with the decision.

“We believe that this decision has fundamental implications for the strategy and programme of the National Democratic Revolution and the alliance that has led the struggle for liberation in our country since the 1920s.

“While the alliance between the SACP and the ANC has spanned the better part of a century, this is not about the past. It is not about nostalgia,” Ramaphosa said.

He expressed concern that the SACP contesting elections independently would “significantly weaken the forces for national democratic change”.

His comments follow remarks made by SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila, who said the party’s plans to contest the 2029 general elections independently are on track.

Speaking at the SACP’s 104th birthday celebration at KwaDlangezwa Community Hall outside eMpangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday, Mapaila said the SACP’s 2022 congress had resolved that it should contest elections.

“The problem here is that we meet and agree on something, but we don’t see the implementation of what we agreed upon as the alliance. I’m sick and tired of attending meaningless meetings,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the ANC would continue engaging the SACP on how to approach the 2026 local government elections.

“We will go out from this meeting to explain our position to our structures at every level of our organisation so that comrades, members of the ANC, are empowered to explain the challenge this poses to our transformation agenda,” he said.

He added that the ANC is determined to ensure these developments do not divide the movement or cause instability.

“We reiterate that the SACP members who hold ANC membership are full members of our movement, with the same rights and duties as any other ANC member – rights and responsibilities that are clearly stated in our constitution.”

Ramaphosa said the ANC would continue working to understand the SACP’s decision and seek opportunities for cooperation ahead of the 2026 polls.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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