Cyril Ramaphosa Rejects Claims ANC Is ‘Dead’ in KZN Ahead of 2026 Elections

• President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed ANC supporters in eThekwini on Monday, pushing back against claims the party had collapsed in KwaZulu-Natal
• The ANC dropped from roughly 54% to about 16% in KwaZulu-Natal during the 2024 elections, finishing third behind the MK Party and IFP
• Analysts questioned whether there was enough evidence to support Ramaphosa's claim that the ANC was gaining momentum in the province

KWAZULU-NATAL — President Cyril Ramaphosa has firmly rejected suggestions that the ANC is finished in KwaZulu-Natal, declaring the province the historical home of the party as it campaigns ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

According to IOL, Ramaphosa addressed supporters in eThekwini on Monday, 28 September 2026, where he sought to project confidence in the party's prospects despite a steep decline in its provincial support.

The ANC's 2024 national and provincial election results in KwaZulu-Natal were among the worst in the party's history, with its vote share falling from roughly 54% to approximately 16%. The MK Party emerged as the dominant force in the province with around 45% of the vote, while the IFP also finished ahead of the ANC.

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Ramaphosa defends party's renewal drive

Speaking to supporters, Ramaphosa insisted the party was on an upward trajectory.

"I said it can't be; the ANC will never die here in KZN. KZN is the home of the African National Congress," he said.

He told those gathered that he intended to report to the ANC's National Working Committee that progress was being made in rebuilding the party's structures and community presence across the province. He pointed to members returning from other political parties as evidence of the renewal effort taking hold.

Ramaphosa said the goal was to demonstrate a recovery by 4 November and ultimately position the ANC to govern without coalition dependency at national level by 2029.

"We are on a journey of renewal and renewing the ANC. We are on a journey to rebuild the ANC," he said.

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Analysts cast doubt on recovery claims

University of KwaZulu-Natal academic Zakhele Ndlovu questioned the basis for Ramaphosa's optimism, noting that the 2024 results placed the ANC a distant third in the province. Ndlovu said unresolved service delivery failures, the enduring popularity of former president Jacob Zuma, and scepticism over unfulfilled promises all remained significant obstacles to any recovery.

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In eThekwini specifically, the challenge is considerable. The ANC secured 42% in the 2021 local elections, but the MK Party pulled in around 48% of the vote in the metro during the 2024 contest. Ntombela said persistent service delivery shortcomings and broken promises continued to weigh on the ANC's standing in the city.

Ramaphosa hits the campaign trail in Hammarsdale

Briefly News also reported that Cyril Ramaphosa took 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 spent 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.

Source: Briefly News