Mandla Ndlovu, chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga, has made a public appeal for members who left the party — including supporters of the MK Party and former president Jacob Zuma — to return ahead of the local government elections set for three months from now. The call comes as the ANC confronts reduced voter support and intensified competition from breakaway parties in the province.
Electoral pressure and a strategy of reconciliation
Delivering his message on Women’s Day while campaigning in a contested constituency, Ndlovu adopted a conciliatory tone rather than a combative one, urging former members to rejoin the ANC. His approach echoes the reconciliation politics once practised by the late David "DD" Mabuza, who sought to mend divisions rather than deepen them.
The party’s shift toward overtures follows a worrying downward trend in provincial vote share. In the 2021 local government elections the ANC still commanded about 59% of the vote in Mpumalanga. By the May 2024 provincial election the party’s support had dropped to 51.15%, signalling a loss of the comfortable majorities the ANC had long enjoyed in the province.
"Those who have left will come back one day"
Ndlovu framed his appeal around unity and the practical need to rebuild support ahead of a potentially difficult local election, where the emergence of new parties has altered the political landscape.
How the political map changed
The 2024 provincial election saw the newly formed MK Party, led by Jacob Zuma, make an immediate impact in Mpumalanga. The MKP captured 16.97% of the provincial vote and became the official opposition in its first outing, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) slipped to third with 13.87%.
Those shifts have had concrete local effects. The ANC failed to secure outright majorities in several municipalities in 2021 — including Steve Tshwete, Govan Mbeki and Lekwa — and later results suggest that vote fragmentation could complicate governance and coalition-building after the upcoming polls.
| Election | ANC | MKP | EFF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local government 2021 | ~59% | N/A | — |
| Provincial election May 2024 | 51.15% | 16.97% | 13.87% |
Implications for the November local government polls
Ndlovu’s outreach appears timed to blunt the effect of votes lost to splinter groups and to reduce the appeal of forming coalitions with other opposition parties. By positioning the ANC as open to reconciliation, provincial leadership is signalling a strategic preference for rebuilding its base rather than pursuing public denunciations of former members.
Political analysts say such gestures can win back some voters, particularly where local service delivery and ward-level leadership remain strong. However, persuading high-profile defectors or their followers to return is a complex process that depends on both policy concessions and rebuilding trust at grassroots level.
- Local stakes: Loss of outright majorities in municipalities can lead to coalition governments and instability in service delivery.
- Vote fragmentation: The rise of MK Party and growth of the EFF reflect broader voter volatility in Mpumalanga.
- Reconciliation strategy: The ANC is prioritising outreach over antagonism to recover lost support.
What residents should watch
As campaigning intensifies in the run-up to the polls, residents should expect targeted outreach efforts in wards where margins were narrow in previous elections. The outcome in municipalities such as Steve Tshwete, Govan Mbeki and Lekwa could determine whether the ANC retains outright control in parts of the province or must navigate coalitions.
With three months to go, political activity in Mpumalanga is likely to accelerate. Voters will be weighing appeals of reconciliation against the realities of recent political realignments and the performance of local government structures.
Nomsa Mahlangu, Mpumalanga correspondent, reports on the evolving dynamics in the province with attention to how political shifts affect local governance, service delivery and the province’s economic prospects.
