ANC Postpones Decision on Gauteng and KZN PECs

The meeting was intended to decide on actions regarding the party's leadership in Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal, following their poor electoral performance.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula addresses the media during a briefing at the party's Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg on 8 October 2024. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/Eyewitness News

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has postponed its final National Executive Committee meeting, which was scheduled for this upcoming weekend.

The meeting was intended to decide on actions regarding the party's leadership in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, following their poor electoral performance.

The party failed to maintain its electoral majority in both provinces, contributing to its decline in the May 29 polls.

On Monday, the ANC's leadership in Gauteng presented a report to the national working committee, explaining the reasons behind losing its electoral majority.

It has been nearly seven months since the elections, during which the ANC lost its majority in parliament, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Northern Cape.

Despite reflecting on its electoral setbacks since the elections, the party has yet to decide how to rebuild and strengthen its structures in the provinces.

ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said due to a busy political agenda in the coming weeks, the party will now make a decision on the future of its structures in Gauteng and KZN early next year.

"We would have met this week in the final NEC meeting but there are state visits that are taking place back-to-back. We also have the SACP National Congress, we also have the SANCO [South African National Civics Organisation] National Congress. So, it's not going to give us adequate time to get the NEC to sit post-the 16th. So, we have given that time right at the beginning of the year to deal with the issues to finality, " Mbalula said.

The decision to be made will have significant implications for the party's preparations for the 2026 local government elections.