The ANC’s national general council (NGC), at which the party takes stock of its policies and leadership, has been scheduled for mid-2025.
The council is the ANC’s midterm review gathering which has previously centred on leadership issues and next year’s gathering is expected to be no different as the party looks towards the local government elections in 2026 and its internal leadership contest in 2027.
The NGC does not adopt policy, nor elect leaders, but is an opportunity for factions to test the waters before the next elective conference.
It will be first NGC held since former president Jacob Zuma was at the helm of the party before stepping down in 2018. It will also be the first NGC at which the ANC contends with losing its electoral majority for the first time in three decades, which compelled it to form a coalition government with its former rivals turned partners.
The party was unable to have its national general council in mid-2020 due to the lockdown.
“Additionally, the NEC [national executive council] acknowledged that preparations for the 2025 NGC will be a key highlight in the organisation’s work, driving renewed focus on accelerating service delivery. The NEC emphasised that service delivery particularly in areas such as water, roads and sanitation remains the top priority,” ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said.
He was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday after a four-day NEC meeting was held in Johannesburg.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is unlikely to run for re-election at the 2027 elective conference as he would have served two five-year terms since 2017. His deputy, Paul Mashatile has previously said he would avail himself for the position should he be asked by ANC branches.
Mbalula said the NEC had discouraged succession discussions within branches for the time being.
“The NEC decided that no member should engage in leadership contestation, lobbying or self-promotion in the name of the ANC for any position in the lead-up to the 2027 national conference, except within the period to be determined and announced by the secretary-general.
“In response, the NEC resolved that a guiding framework on leadership issues and processes should be developed, circulated to all structures and discussed. Once adopted, this framework will guide leadership processes at branch, regional, provincial and national levels. The ANC’s electoral committee, led by Kgalema Motlanthe, will be tasked with examining the influence of money in leadership elections,” he said.
“It’s not like people are not discussing leadership but it cannot be our agenda. We still have an election to win in 2026 and a programme of action to implement rebuilding the ANC.”
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