ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed predictions that his party is heading for a collapse in KwaZulu-Natal, insisting that the governing movement can still win the confidence of voters in eThekwini and other municipalities.
Ramaphosa was campaigning in the province on Wednesday as political parties prepare for the upcoming local government elections. His visit comes at a difficult moment for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, where the party secured only 17% of the provincial vote in the last general election.
Recent polling has suggested that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is the preferred choice among many eThekwini residents. The predictions have also pointed to a further decline for the ANC in municipalities it currently controls.
ANC president says campaign will continue
Ramaphosa said the party was paying attention to the polling but would not allow the figures to dictate its campaign. He said the ANC was concentrating on its own work and remained committed to pursuing victory.
“Polls are polls, and we note polls, and we continue with our work. We are campaigning for a victory. We note polls, we read them, and we put them aside and just focus on the work that we are doing,” Ramaphosa said.
The remarks reflect the scale of the challenge facing the ANC in a province where electoral loyalties have shifted sharply. The party's poor performance in the general election resulted in the ANC's national leadership disbanding its KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee.
Despite that setback, Ramaphosa said the response from people in eThekwini had been encouraging. He argued that residents understood the importance of effective municipal government and believed the ANC had the experience needed to improve the metro.
“People are responding very positively. They know what is good for this metro. They know what is good for our municipalities and that only the ANC is capable of repositioning a municipality,” he said.
Battle for eThekwini
His assessment contrasts with polling that places the MKP in a strong position among eThekwini voters. The competing views underline the uncertainty surrounding the local government contest, particularly in Durban and surrounding communities where municipal performance is likely to be a central issue for voters.
Ramaphosa said the ANC had experienced people capable of running eThekwini. The party is therefore presenting the election as a choice between its established governing record and alternatives that it says do not have the same depth of municipal experience.
| Election issue | What the source reports |
|---|---|
| ANC support in KZN | 17% in the last general election |
| Polling in eThekwini | MKP identified as the apparent favourite |
| ANC provincial leadership | Provincial Executive Committee was disbanded |
For voters, the contest will be shaped not only by party claims but also by the practical condition of local government. Ramaphosa's argument is that the ANC can reposition municipalities, while the polling cited in the campaign coverage indicates that a substantial number of voters are considering a different political direction.
Warning over political killings
The ANC campaign has also been accompanied by concern over violence in KwaZulu-Natal. Ramaphosa said political killings in the months before the elections threatened the foundations of democratic participation.
He condemned the killing of councillors and candidates, whether they were already serving in local government or seeking election for the first time. He said those responsible were attempting to undermine the democratic system by intimidating or removing people involved in public life.
“All those who are killing councillors, who are killing candidates, are really seeking to destroy the efficacy of our democracy because they are trying to roll back the gains that we have made in the democratic architecture that we have set up as the people of South Africa,” he said.
Ramaphosa called on the SAPS to arrest those responsible as soon as possible. His comments place the safety of political candidates and public representatives alongside service delivery and electoral competition as key concerns in the province's campaign.
What is at stake for residents
The election battle in eThekwini is taking place against a backdrop of falling ANC support, competing political movements and heightened concern about violence. Parties are seeking the mandate to run municipalities that directly affect residents' daily lives, including the provision and administration of local services.
- The ANC says its experience makes it the party best placed to improve municipalities.
- Polling cited in the campaign coverage suggests the MKP is leading among eThekwini residents.
- Political killings have prompted a call for urgent SAPS action to protect councillors and candidates.
Ramaphosa's confidence marks the start of a determined ANC effort to recover ground in KwaZulu-Natal. Whether that message connects with voters will be tested at the ballot box, in a province where the political landscape has become markedly more competitive and where eThekwini remains one of the most closely watched municipal contests.
