ANC doesn’t regret giving citizens freedom to vote, says Mantashe amid counting
The ANC official cautioned against drawing conclusions from the preliminary figures.
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe reaffirmed the party's commitment to South Africans' democratic rights as counting proceeds in the 2026 local government elections. Addressing the media on Thursday, 5 November 2026 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Mantashe highlighted that the rise in political parties contesting the elections signifies the democratic freedoms granted through the country's liberation struggle.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is continuing the process of counting and verifying ballots following Wednesday's municipal elections, where at least 15.9 million South Africans voted before the polling stations closed at 9pm. Mantashe defended the ANC against accusations of regret regarding the freedom to vote, emphasizing that the party had fought for a democratic system allowing citizens to choose their political representatives freely.
He noted that the emergence of more political alternatives demonstrated voters' exploration of different options, although some smaller parties might participate to weaken the support of other organizations. Mantashe clarified that the ANC would respect the IEC's institutional credibility, regardless of the election results, and rejected calls to undermine the commission.
He also dismissed concerns about the party's performance, stating that the ANC could potentially improve its showing as more results become available, particularly from major voting areas like townships.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
