At the 14th ANC Mpumalanga Conference on March 28, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the party is expected to be restored to a clear majority in the 2026 local government elections. In the 2024 national general elections (NGE), the ANC won by a majority of 51.15% in Mpumalanga.

Ramaphosa said state capture, corruption, illicit financial flows and growing inequality has undermined the state’s ability to effectively fight crime and ensure safer communities. This, he said, has manifested a decline in public trust.

“The people of South Africa has lost trust in our ability to address these challenges that they face daily,” he said.

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According the president, the ANC entering into a government of national unity after the 2024 NGE set the party back.

“However, we are fighting corruption and will address the challenges in our police service and the broader security cluster so that it is fit for purpose and trusted by our people. We are addressing water challenges and we can confidently say that we have won the fight against load shedding,” he said. “I have no doubt that we will regain our majority.”

The re-elected chairperson of the Mpumalanga ANC, Mandla Ndlovu, echoed Ramaphosa’s remarks while lamenting a lack of unity within the party.

“We are mindful of a dangerous tendency of leaders elected without contestation, who sometimes begin to believe they are untouchable and only accountable to themselves. Such leaders often fail to accommodate diverse views and surround themselves with praise singers, who applaud them even when they are wrong,” he said.

Ndlovu said that over the next four years, ANC leaders must prioritise the party’s programme rather than pursue personal agendas, while also focusing on winning the upcoming elections at the end of the year.

He said the party is targeting victories in local municipalities within the Gert Sibande and Nkangala district municipalities.

“This conference gave us clarity about what our people expect from us. They want water, jobs, an end to load reduction, better education, and safer communities. They also want protection from construction and water tanker mafias,” he said.

The provincial executive committee was largely re-elected, with Sibongile Makushe-Mazibuko elected as the new treasurer.

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Mandla Ndlovu remains chairperson, with Speed Mashilo as his deputy. Muzi Chirwa and Nompumelelo Hlophe also retained their positions as secretary and deputy secretary respectively, all without contest.

Tensions arose when the outgoing treasurer, Mandla Msibi, was nominated at the conference to retain his position but failed to meet the required threshold of 194 votes from the more than 700 ANC members present. As a result, he was unable to contest for the position of provincial treasurer.