JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) has officially launched its Local Government Elections manifesto, placing a heavy emphasis on rectifying systemic service delivery failures and revitalizing struggling municipalities. As the party asks voters for a renewed mandate ahead of the November polls, key alliance partners, including COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator Matthew Parks and SANCO spokesperson Mzukisi Jam, have assessed the document, outlining their priorities and reaffirming their support despite complex internal political dynamics.
During the launch event in Johannesburg, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the manifesto to the public and party membership. In a candid address, the leadership accepted responsibility for past shortcomings, acknowledging that in too many municipalities, services are unreliable, infrastructure is deteriorating, and communities face prolonged delays in having their problems solved. Specific admissions included poorly maintained water treatment plants, aging and deteriorating water pipes, unattended sewage spills, broken streetlights, uncollected refuse, and municipalities weakened by financial trouble, poor leadership, political instability, corruption, and the appointment of unskilled personnel.
To address these documented failures, the ANC’s manifesto pledges to prioritize the provision of affordable, reliable, and available basic services. The party committed to ensuring every South African community has access to clean water, dignified sanitation, reliable electricity, maintained roads, regular refuse removal, and infrastructure that supports a decent quality of life.
Following the launch, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Parliamentary Coordinator Matthew Parks clarified the labor federation’s position. Parks noted that while COSATU maintains a standing resolution to support its alliance partner, the ANC, the final decision will be subject to a fresh mandate from its workers at an upcoming national congress in a few weeks. He described the internal debate as a robust, democratic process inherent to a worker-controlled organization with 1.5 million members. Parks also acknowledged the “uncharted territory” and complications arising from the South African Communist Party (SACP) deciding to contest the elections independently. However, he emphasized that COSATU’s ultimate goal is to keep workers and the broader alliance united to tackle unemployment, inequality, poverty, crime, and corruption.
South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) spokesperson Mzukisi Jam affirmed the civic movement’s unequivocal resolution to support the ANC in the local elections. Jam acknowledged the severe service delivery challenges on the ground but argued that no alternative political party offers a better or more constructive policy framework, describing some alternatives as purely oppositional, racist, or corrupt. He highlighted that SANCO was actively involved in drafting the manifesto and will play a key role in monitoring and evaluating its implementation.
Jam also pointed to a new, rigorous vetting process introduced by the ANC, which requires community input on ward councillor nominations to prevent self-enrichment and ensure local accountability. While expressing a desire for the ANC and SACP to resolve their current political friction, Jam stressed that SANCO respects organizational autonomy and remains focused on the practical work of fixing municipalities.
Echoing this sentiment, Parks concluded that the tripartite alliance remains vital. He cited its historical role in delivering democracy, progressive labor laws, and basic services to previously marginalized communities, stressing its continued necessity in addressing the country’s most pressing socio-economic challenges beyond the election campaign trail.