By Kaya Mntsantsa
East London
The African National Congress in the Eastern Cape says it is entering the 2026 Local Government Elections united and focused, with service delivery and organisational discipline at the centre of its strategy. This emerged from the ANC Provincial Task Team meeting held on 1 June 2026, which the party described as taking place at “a critical juncture” for the movement and the country.
PTT Spokesperson Comrade Yanga Zicina said the meeting reaffirmed the ANC’s responsibility to lead at a time of heightened political contestation. “This meeting reaffirmed the responsibility of the ANC to provide decisive leadership in a period characterised by heightened political contestation and organisational renewal,” Zicina stated. He added that the PTT took place as the party prepares for its first local government elections where the SACP will contest independently, a development that “requires reflection on the implications of this development while reaffirming the need to strengthen unity of purpose.”
Zicina stressed that the 2026 elections are about more than administration. Quoting Vladimir Lenin, he said “the question of power is the fundamental question of every revolution,” and argued that local government remains a critical arena for using state power to change lives. “The forthcoming local government elections are therefore not merely administrative contests, but critical arenas for consolidating democratic state power in the hands of the people,” he said.
The PTT met as South Africa marks 30 years of the Constitution. Zicina warned that democratic gains of the last 32 years are “under sustained attack by right-wing forces seeking to reverse progressive policies such as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, the National Health Insurance, and the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.” He said these attacks, often pursued through the courts by “counter-revolutionary elements,” show why the ANC must defend and deepen the transformative agenda.
“The freedom which delivered this constitution was not freely given, but earned through immense sacrifice by generations of patriots,” Zicina noted, adding that the PTT “reaffirmed its commitment to honour this legacy by advancing the struggle for a more just, equitable and prosperous society.”To strengthen delivery and accountability, the PTT resolved to establish a 15-member Provincial Working Committee including ANC League chairpersons and the provincial spokesperson.
Zicina explained the PWC “will serve as a key coordinating structure to ensure effective execution of the decisions of the PTT and to strengthen organisational coherence across the province.” The team also formed 16 sub-committees covering Political Education, Legislature, Campaigns, Finance, Communications, Elections, Economic Transformation, Education and Social Transformation, Health, International Relations, Policy and Research, Gender, Disciplinary, Deployment, Integrity, Appeals and Chaplaincy.
According to Zicina, these committees “are mandated to intensify focused work in their respective areas, drive organisational renewal, sharpen ideological clarity, and ensure readiness for electoral contestation across all structures.”The PTT further resolved to deploy PEC members across all eight ANC regions in the Eastern Cape to improve coordination and grassroots presence.
“These deployments are intended to enhance coordination, improve organisational performance, and ensure alignment with provincial priorities, while deepening grassroots presence and responsiveness to community needs,” Zicina said. Details of the deployments are being communicated to structures through the office of the PTT Coordinator.
On candidate selection for 2026, Zicina said the PTT received a report and reaffirmed adherence to ANC guidelines. “All recommendations will be submitted to National Officials for final consideration, in line with organisational discipline and transparency,” he stated.
The criteria will prioritise gender representivity, generational mix, skills, qualifications, experience and knowledge of local government. Zicina committed the PTT “to ensuring strict adherence to timelines and the transparent implementation of the prescribed processes, recognising that organisational credibility depends on fairness, integrity, and consistency.” Branches were urged to submit BGM and community meeting dates timeously and to move citizens between voting districts where needed to align with Municipal Demarcation Board boundaries.
The PTT also addressed discipline. Zicina expressed concern over “acts of ill-discipline and defiance of decisions of the Provincial Executive Committee by deployees in the Elundini Local Municipality and Joe Gqabi District Municipality.” He said such conduct “undermines organisational unity and erodes public confidence in the ANC as a governing movement.” The PTT therefore resolved to refer all implicated deployees to the Disciplinary Committee. “The ANC remains a disciplined organisation rooted in the principles of democratic centralism and accountability.
Accordingly, the PTT resolved to refer all implicated deployees to the Disciplinary Committee for appropriate action to safeguard the integrity and authority of the organisation, ensuring that no individual is above the collective decisions of the movement,” Zicina stated.
On traditional leadership, Zicina said the ANC maintains “a strong and historic relationship with traditional leadership, recognising traditional authorities as vital partners in governance, cultural preservation, and community development.” He announced that the Provincial Election Team will host the Traditional Leadership Awards Programme on 6 June 2026 “to honour the indispensable role being played by traditional leaders in advancing communities and sustaining social cohesion.”
Zicina added that the Constitution “explicitly recognises the institution, status, and role of traditional leadership within the democratic order,” and the ANC continues to support the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders and its relationship with CONTRALESA.
Concluding the statement, Zicina said the PTT emerged “united, focused, and resolute in its commitment to lead the ANC to victory in the forthcoming Local Government Elections.” He called on members to mobilise for by-elections in Ward 1 and Ward 10 in the WB Rubusana Region and to “vote for the ANC, as the movement best placed to advance the interests of the people.” Zicina also reaffirmed solidarity with Palestine, Cuba and Venezuela, and congratulated the ANCYL and ANCWL Young Women’s Desk on their recent programmes.
“The ANC in the Eastern Cape remains steadfast in advancing the aspirations of the people and will continue to work tirelessly to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society,” he said.
