The ANC is preparing to remove underperforming political appointments from government positions in a bid to reverse electoral losses and restore public confidence ahead of the local government elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged at the weekend’s ANC lekgotla that the governing party must confront systemic weaknesses in state institutions and municipal administrations where many ANC loyalists hold key positions.
“We must have the courage to replace employees who are not performing the tasks,” Ramaphosa said, signalling a potential shift away from the patronage-based deployment system that has long characterised the party’s approach to public sector staffing.
“We must also deploy cadres that can fulfil the responsibility of the position that they want,” he said, positioning technical capability as fundamental to the ANC’s efforts to regain political momentum.
To enforce this performance-based approach, Ramaphosa outlined plans for enhanced monitoring systems designed to reduce the influence of factional interests in deployment decisions.
Our councillors must be fit for purpose so they must be trained properly, deployed in all municipalities, and work well with managers and officials to improve local government and the quality of life of people in those areas.
— Cyril Ramaphosa
“We will implement mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation and accountability so that our decisions in this regard are based on evidence,” he told ANC national executive committee members during his closing address, adding that selections must not be “driven by fashionable or personal interests”.
The announcements come as the ANC faces its most challenging electoral environment since assuming power in 1994.
Municipal governments controlled by ANC appointees have become flashpoints for public frustration over service delivery failures, contributing to the party’s declining vote share in successive elections. Recent polling suggests the ANC’s traditional dominance continues to erode amid infrastructure failures, corruption scandals and administrative dysfunction at local government level.
Ramaphosa indicated that internal party assessments have already begun informing strategic recalibrations.
“We have received the reports from divisions,” he said, noting these findings would be consolidated into “the reporter outcomes document and the ANC programme of action for 2026”.
ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile earlier said secretary-general Fikile Mbalula would monitor implementation of service delivery across provinces, districts and metros.
“We have realised that, in the main, it is not that we do not have water in our dams, but it is the issue of reticulation. “Even in provinces where we have dams, some areas do not receive water,” Mashatile said.
“Our councillors must be fit for purpose so they must be trained properly, deployed in all municipalities, and work well with managers and officials to improve local government and the quality of life of people in those areas.”
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