LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026 ANALYSIS: ANC manifesto: Good to look at, nice to read — but hard to believe
The ANC acknowledges its failures, but can it fix the problems it created? We put its local government election pitch through our Manifesto Test.
The African National Congress (ANC) has released its local government election manifesto for 2026, touting improvements in services, infrastructure, and governance. However, a Manifesto Test reveals that the party's promises are unambitious and fail to address the core issues plaguing municipalities.
The ANC acknowledges its shortcomings, stating that "many municipalities do not work as they should" and that "citizens know this from the tap that runs out of water too often, from the streetlight on the corner that goes dark too often". The party promises to tackle water and sanitation issues by repairing and upgrading infrastructure, reducing water losses, and eliminating sewer spillages.
However, the test reveals that this is a basic requirement of governance, as controlling leaks and budgeting for maintenance should be a standard practice.
Similarly, the ANC's promises to improve electricity reliability and affordable service are deemed unambitious. The party plans to upgrade distribution networks, increase capacity, and implement smart metering, but these measures are not groundbreaking and have been promised before. The focus on streetlight repairs as a foundation for a women's safety platform is also criticized as a failure to make progress since 1994.
Infrastructure maintenance is another area where the ANC falls short. The party promises to repair roads, bridges, and stormwater infrastructure over a five-year term, but this is a basic expectation of municipal governance. The manifesto's emphasis on upgrading taxi ranks and engaging with the taxi industry falls under similar criticism.
The ANC's acknowledgment of sewer failures and promises to eliminate spillages, improve wastewater treatment, and strengthen water quality are commended. However, the test questions whether the party can achieve this level of problem-solving when it created the issues in the first place.
In the realm of public safety, the ANC's promises to address crime hotspots with monitored cameras and lighting, as well as strengthen law enforcement and metro police, receive mixed reviews. While these measures are reasonable, they are not a groundbreaking approach and have been implemented before.
Overall, the ANC's 2026 Local Government Manifesto presents a series of unambitious promises that fail to tackle the root causes of municipalities' problems. The party acknowledges its failures, but the effectiveness of its proposals remains questionable. Voters will need to decide if the ANC's leadership is capable of delivering on these promises at the local level.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
