ANC says councillor roll call is about renewal — not GNU tensions

ANC has dismissed suggestions that its recent internal roll call directive is linked to tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU), clarifying it as part of internal renewal efforts ahead of the 2026 local elections.

Speaking to IOL during a media briefing on the sidelines of the ANC’s roll call for councillors' gathering at FNB Stadium on Monday, secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, emphasised that the instruction is part of the party's introspection and accountability measures—unrelated to dynamics within the GNU.

“No, it is the party. It's got nothing to do with the GNU. It's us dealing with our own issues in terms of the ANC and local government,” said Mbalula.

He said their deployees will do their work knowing exactly what is expected of them.

The ANC convened councillors from across the country to evaluate their performance since the 2021 local government elections, amid growing public frustration over poor service delivery and governance failures.

With the 2026 local elections approaching, the party is under pressure to demonstrate tangible improvement.

Mbalula also addressed the ANC's relationship with the Democratic Alliance (DA) within the GNU framework, saying tensions had been managed and cooperation restored.

“We're still in the GNU, and the ANC supports the GNU. It's got nothing to do with the DA alone—there are 10 parties in the GNU,” he said.

His comments follow growing calls for the ANC to sever ties with the DA, with critics urging the ruling party to instead pursue alliances with other black-led formations.

The GNU, formed in the aftermath of South Africa’s first national elections without a clear majority, has faced scrutiny for being ideologically incoherent.

IOL reported this week that ANC first deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, said the GNU was “an amoeba, it did not have a shape” and warned that unless parties act with discipline and shared purpose, the project risked becoming unworkable.

The biggest threat, she said, was the behaviour of the DA, whom she bluntly called “the most irresponsible party”.

“They misbehave. Remember, they were going to oppose the budget. They try and are push that they deal with issues like foreign policy, how they want to play a dual role of an opposition and a party in government.”

She added that the DA wanted to play a dual role—opposition and government.

Meanwhile, Thuthukile Zuma, daughter of MK Party president Jacob Zuma, weighed in on the debate over black political unity.

In an interview with Sunday World, she accused the MKP of lacking ideological coherence and defended the ANC as the only viable platform for advancing black empowerment.

"I'm simply making the point that if really people were committed to black unity, we probably wouldn't be in a GNU with the DA and all the challenges that we face, but that blame is placed on the ANC, and I'm saying it's misplaced," she said.

Given continuing instability and destructive nature of the relations between the DA and the ANC, some councillors on Monday said it was time for black progressive parties to consider seriously to uniting for the greater benefit of the majority in the country.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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