ANC to Launch War Room Under Mbalula to Tackle Service Delivery Failures, Citizens Say It’s Too Late
- The African National Congress (ANC) plans to establish a war room to deal with local government failures
- Paul Mashatile confirmed that the war room would be led by the party’s Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula
- South Africans weighed in on the ANC's plans, saying that they have heard the party say the same thing before
Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG – The African National Congress (ANC) will establish a dedicated ‘war room’ to address challenges when it comes to service delivery issues.
The war room will be led by the party’s Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula and will address the issues of local government challenges. The war room will be established after the State of the Nation Address (SONA), ahead of this year's Local Government Elections, but the ANC has maintained that this is not an election gimmick, but a real response to the country’s growing challenges.
War room aimed at resolving issues speedily
The announcement about the establishment of the war room was made by Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the party’s three-day lekgotla in Boksburg, on 25 January 2026.
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Mashatile explained that the decision was aimed at stabilising municipalities and improving service delivery. He added that Mbalula will monitor implementation across provinces, districts, and metros and ensure timely interventions and quick resolutions.
"Our focus is on fixing local government. You will recall from the January 8 statement, where the President emphasised this matter. This is the year of decisive action to fix local government and ensure a viable economy," Mashatile said.
Source: Twitter
Water supply and rural infrastructure are top priorities
Mashatile added that the war room's top priority was addressing the escalating water crisis and road infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.
The water crisis has become a countrywide issue, with residents in several parts of the country often left without water. Some areas have never had running water.
“We have realised that, in the main, it is not that we do not have water in our dams, but it is the issue of reticulation. “Even in provinces where we have dams, some areas do not receive water," Mashatile explained.
He also noted that ANC aims to prioritise improving road infrastructure, particularly in the rural areas.
South Africans are not impressed with the ANC's plan
Social media users were not impressed with the ANC’s plans, with many stating that it was too late.
@SikhathiCharity noted:
“The ANC can come up with several strategies to redeem themselves, but as South Africans, we are gatvol. We don’t care. They can all go to hell.”
@TenDladla agreed:
“We don't care what you thieves say and intend to do. We will not vote ANC.”
@lyndkl stated:
“It is too little, too late.”
@TBoelba91006 said:
“I heard this one before.”
@JonathanSibany1 added:
“We all heard that before.”
@mokgasi noted:
“It's been 30 years, and now you want to implement.”
@Mamkhiz17185874 warned:
“Trust this organisation at your own risk.”
@Bonginkosi15470 added:
“The ANC will never fix anything. The Deputy President is just repeating the chorus.
Other stories about the ANC and service delivery
Briefly News reported that there have been several recent stories about the ANC and service delivery, as the party gears up for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
- Panyaza Lesufi promised that the ANC would focus on service delivery in Gauteng ahead of the upcoming elections.
- The Democratic Alliance said that it was open to working with the ANC to improve service delivery in local communities.
- Ramaphosa called on ANC members to improve local government issues and improve basic service delivery to regain voters' trust.
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Source: Briefly News
