Cyril Ramaphosa Launches ANC Manifesto for 2026 Local Elections

President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the African National Congress (ANC) manifesto for the 2026 local government elections at Riverside in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. The party's strategy centers on a six-point plan of action intended to secure majorities in 257 municipalities across South Africa.

The plan prioritizes the delivery of basic services, specifically clean water and reliable electricity, while seeking to industrialize urban and rural areas to stimulate job creation. To address governance failures, the ANC pledges to restore municipal financial health and enforce ethical leadership. This includes the implementation of public performance agreements and a step-aside rule for officials facing corruption charges.

Under the new manifesto, the ANC emphasizes community participation and mandates that newly elected mayors and councillors demonstrate tangible progress on urgent issues within their first 100 days in office. The party also commits to improving community safety and ensuring that municipalities collect revenue efficiently while ending waste.