Fikile Mbalula declares an end to supporting corrupt comrades in the ANC
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has called for accountability and discipline as the party prepares for the 2026 local government elections
Image: X@ANC
The African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the days of supporting party members accused of corruption have come to an end.
His remarks come as the party seeks to clean up its image and win back public trust ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The party has long faced criticism over corruption and incompetence among its members in government.
Addressing over 4,000 delegates at the second National General Council (NGC) of the ANC Youth League, held at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in Kimberley, Mbalula said the ANC is shifting focus towards accountability and service delivery.
“Gone are the days when a comrade was accused of corruption, and we sang along with him or her on the way to court,” said Mbalula.
“We must not be counted as a statistic. The ANC has resolved to fight against corruption.”
The NGC, which runs from September 10 to 13, aims to chart a path forward for the youth league in advancing the interests of young people and shaping the direction of the movement.
Mbalula confirmed that the ANC will convene a “roll call” event for all its councillors across the country on Monday, 15 September, at the FNB Stadium in Soweto.
The event aims to “accelerate service delivery with accountability” and kickstart preparations for the 2026 local government elections.
“This roll call is not a party for councillors, but marching orders,” he said.
“If you don't execute the mandate of the ANC, ship out. That is what is important.”
He added that the party would hold a special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend to deliberate on the “marching orders” that will be delivered by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa at the event.
“As the ANC, we’ll continue to ensure that we win back the trust of our people through evidence of service delivery and broader national transformation,” Mbalula said.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) recently announced that the 2026 local government elections could take place between November 2, 2026 and January 31, 2027.
Political experts have said the ANC is in panic mode after losing its national majority in the May 2024 general elections.
The party now governs in coalition in major metros including Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, and holds a slim majority in eThekwini.
There are growing fears within the party that it could lose Durban to former ANC president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party.
The ANC has also largely abandoned hopes of regaining control in Cape Town, having last governed the city in 2005.
Mbalula praised the leadership of ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji, calling on the youth league to contribute to the ANC’s “renewal agenda”.
“Comrades, the Youth League of Collen Malatji must be counted in the ANC as the youth league that contributed to the renewal agenda of the ANC - to undermine factionalism in our structures, to undermine gatekeeping, to ensure that the ANC is free to all,” said Mbalula.
He said that discipline within the youth league is vital for the future of the ANC.
“If the youth league falters on discipline, the ANC is doomed. It means the ANC does not have a future. We all came from the youth league.”
On Thursday, IOL News reported that ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile also addressed the NGC, urging the Youth League to mobilise young people in support of the party ahead of 2026.
“This second National General Council is being held in the aftermath of the 2024 general elections. In those elections, the ANC suffered a strategic setback, receiving 40% of electoral support,” said Mashatile.
He said that the gap between eligibility and voter registration had grown from 6–8 million since 1999 to 12 million by 2024.
Voter registration dropped from 80% in 2014 to just 69.9% in 2024, while voter turnout has declined from 89% in 1999 to 58.6% in 2024.
The lowest turnout in 2024 was recorded in the North West, followed by Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.
The ANC’s historic loss of majority in 2024 led to the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), bringing together parties including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus).
The GNU has since been marred by policy clashes and internal tension.
Mashatile said the 2026 elections would be a crucial test for both the ANC and the broader democratic project.
“The challenge before us as the ANC is to translate the public's appetite for collaboration into the effective leadership that South Africans urgently need.”
“We must further acknowledge that despite our considerable progress in tackling unemployment, poverty and inequality, the economy remains stagnant and fails to generate the jobs necessary to absorb our youth,” he added.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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