ANC NEC faces decisive coalition meeting - IOL

The ANC's NEC meeting will consider a Mandating Guide for its negotiations team and receive reports on initial engagements with other political parties following the November 4 elections.

The African National Congress (ANC) is meeting on Thursday to consider its negotiating mandate for coalition talks following the 2026 Local Government Elections, as 127 hung municipal councils leave political parties needing to secure support to form governments.

The party's Extended Special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting comes after the ANC emerged as the largest political party nationally, but with a significantly reduced share of the vote, securing 30.76% compared with 45.59% in the 2021 elections.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) finished second with 24.64%, followed by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party with 9.76%, according to the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) final results.

Of the country's 213 municipal councils, 127 have no party with an outright majority, while 72 have a party that secured more than half the seats. Coalition negotiations will therefore play a central role in determining which political formations govern municipalities over the next five years.

The ANC's Extended Special NEC will consider and adopt a Mandating Guide for its negotiations team and receive reports on initial engagements with other political parties.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the election outcome had placed a serious political responsibility on the party to listen to the people, confront its shortcomings and provide leadership as municipalities prepare to establish governments.

"The ANC’s response must not be reduced to negotiations for municipal positions. It must address the lives of South Africans, the stability of local government and the renewal of the movement," Bhengu said.

Thursday's meeting follows a series of consultations involving the ANC's leadership, alliance partners and other structures to consider the election outcome.

The party's National Working Committee met on Monday, November 9, before the ANC engaged its alliance partners, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO), on Tuesday, November 10.

The ANC also scheduled engagements with its Leagues and the uMkhonto we Sizwe Liberation War Veterans (MKLWV) for Wednesday afternoon, November 11.

The engagements form part of the movement's collective consideration of the election outcome and the responsibilities arising from it.

The ANC's meeting comes as political parties begin negotiating arrangements to establish municipal governments in councils where no party secured an outright majority.

Newly elected municipal councils must hold their first meetings within 14 days of the declaration of the election results. Councillors will elect mayors, speakers and other political office-bearers during these meetings.

The ANC's negotiations team will receive its mandate from the NEC as discussions with other political formations continue.