By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula led the party’s by-election campaign in Ward 24, Freedom Park, Johannesburg.
The ANC is under pressure after losing ground to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which has been winning ANC-held wards in recent by-elections.
The party has admitted that many people are unhappy with its councillors, who are seen as corrupt and uninterested in serving communities.
Mbalula asked residents to keep believing in the ANC and to have faith that its leaders will change for the better.
He admitted that the ANC has been disappointing but asked supporters to remain hopeful that the party will turn things around.
He made a number of promises, including turning the R370 Social Relief of Distress Grant into a permanent Basic Income Grant with a higher payout.
The ANC is losing popularity. It dropped from 57.5% support in 2019 to below 40% in the 2024 general elections.
Meanwhile ANC MPs at a meeting on Friday urged the party’s leadership to remove the Democratic Alliance (DA) from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The meeting became tense when MPs brought up the DA’s refusal to back the previous two versions of the budget.
The MPs also cited the DA’s recent court challenge against the Employment Equity Amendment Act and its previous opposition to the National Health Insurance (NHI) and Basic Education Law Amendment (Bela) Act.
Elsewhere the ANC in Gauteng held a two-day gathering in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, following the disbandment of the Provincial Executive Committee and the appointment of a Provincial Task Team to stabilise the party in the province.
The meeting comes as the party grapples with its worst electoral performance to date and mounting public frustration over service delivery failures.
The party’s converner Panyaza Lesufi said the Lekgotla resolved that municipalities in the Gauteng government must deal with 13 priorities including water, cable theft, Potholes, Non-functional traffic lights, Crime, lawlessness, and vandalism, Mushrooming of informal settlement, Electricity supply and load reduction, Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), Drug abuse, Poor services at hospitals and clinics, Unemployement and Failing infrastructure.
Lesufi emphasised that every commission within the Lekgotla had worked hard to develop “firm proposals” on each of these issues. A consolidated report will soon be finalised and shared with the public.