Cyril Ramaphosa Hits Campaign Trail as ANC Eyes eThekwini Comeback

• ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is spending two days on the campaign trail in eThekwini, including a stop in Hammarsdale
• The ANC lost its outright majority in the metro in 2021 and has governed through a coalition ever since
• The party submitted 106 proportional representation candidates for eThekwini, with incumbent mayor Cyril Xaba leading the list

SOUTH AFRICA - Cyril Ramaphosa is taking his campaign directly to KwaZulu-Natal as the ANC works to win back voter support in eThekwini ahead of the 4 November 2026 local government elections.

The ANC president is expected to spend two days in the metro, meeting residents and party supporters. One of the key stops on his itinerary is Hammarsdale, where the party hopes direct engagement will help rebuild trust with communities before voting day.

ANC eyes a stronger showing in eThekwini

The visit carries real urgency for the ruling party. The ANC failed to secure an outright majority in eThekwini during the 2021 local government elections and has relied on coalition arrangements to govern the metro since then. The party is determined to change that outcome this time around.

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ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial task team convenor Mike Mabuyakhulu expressed confidence that the 2026 polls would tell a different story. He acknowledged that the party had taken note of polling and survey data, but said the focus had shifted to on-the-ground voter engagement and tackling the issues that matter most to communities.

"Since the 29 May 2024 general elections, a lot has changed," Mabuyakhulu said,

adding that the ANC's approach to reaching voters had evolved significantly and that the upcoming local elections should not be read through the lens of the 2024 general election result.

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eThekwini among the key metros being contested

With the Independent Electoral Commission already having published candidate lists, eThekwini stands out as one of the most closely watched battlegrounds. The ANC has put forward 106 candidates for proportional representation seats in the metro, with incumbent mayor Cyril Xaba heading that list.

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Ramaphosa's presence in Hammarsdale signals that the ANC is treating eThekwini as a priority. The party's ability to reclaim a majority in the metro would mark a significant turnaround after years of shared governance and declining support in what was once considered ANC heartland.

ANC fights 181 candidates disqualified

The campaign does come with some complications for the party nationally. Briefly News reported that the ANC is currently fighting a matter at the Constitutional Court after 181 of its candidates were disqualified across several municipalities for missing the submission deadline. The party lost its legal bid to have the candidates reinstated to municipal election lists after the Electoral Court dismissed its appeal against the Electoral Commission of South Africa on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

Source: Briefly News