LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: Ramaphosa signals fuel relief and warns of Agoa losses as elections loom
In a wide-ranging briefing with editors and journalists on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged voter anger, hinted at fuel price relief and warned that South Africa could lose its Agoa trade benefits.
In a recent briefing for editors and journalists, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the upcoming local elections in South Africa, set to take place on November 4, 2026. Amidst voter dissatisfaction, Ramaphosa hinted at potential fuel price relief and warned that South Africa might lose its African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) trade benefits with the United States.
With the elections just two weeks away, Ramaphosa acknowledged the public's anger over collapsing municipal services, including electricity disruptions, deteriorating roads, and water failures. He encouraged the public not to mistake their disappointment for outright hostility towards the ruling ANC party. Ramaphosa assured the party that national reforms would eventually lead to economic growth and better lives for South Africans.
The president also mentioned that he had personally warned Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero to improve the city's cleanliness before the G20 Leaders' Summit, scheduled for November 22-23, 2025. Should Morero fail to address the city's deteriorating conditions, Ramaphosa suggested the mayor could lose his job. Morero had already initiated a six-week inner-city clean-up and a campaign to rehabilitate illegal dumping sites.
Ramaphosa revealed that the ANC is considering additional measures to alleviate the impact of soaring fuel prices, estimated to cost the government around R24 billion. The National Treasury previously estimated that temporary fuel levy reductions between April and June 2026 would result in the loss of R17.2 billion in tax revenue, funded by higher-than-expected revenue and underspending. The ANC's budget review from 2023 revealed that a four-month fuel levy relief package in 2022 cost R10.5 billion.
The president also defended the ANC's candidate selection process, stating that they had opened up the selection of mayoral candidates. The party has shortlisted Morero, Johannesburg regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku, and the Rev Frank Chikane for the mayoral nomination. However, Chikane was absent from the ANC's certified SA Electoral Commission (IEC) candidate list.
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