Fikile Mbalula Returns to ANC Campaign Duties 17 Days Before Local Government Elections

• ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula made his return to Luthuli House after a medically ordered rest following a collapse at Constitution Hill
• Mbalula credited seven weeks of legal pressure over candidate registrations as the cause of his physical exhaustion
• With 17 days left before the 4 November local government elections, Mbalula vowed to resume ground-level campaigning immediately

JOHANNESBURG — African National Congress Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has returned to official duties at Luthuli House, declaring himself ready to lead the party's ground campaign ahead of the 4 November 2026 local government elections.

Mbalula delivered a recorded video statement on 18 October 2026, confirming that medical examinations had cleared him to resume work following a directive from ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa to rest after he collapsed at Constitution Hill. The secretary-general said he had complied fully with Ramaphosa's instruction before returning to his office.

Mbalula cites legal battle as exhaustion cause

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Gareth Cliff reacts to Fikile Mbalula collapsing at Constitutional Court

Mbalula attributed his physical breakdown to the intense strain of a seven-week legal dispute over the exclusion of 181 ANC candidates from ballots in six municipalities. The Constitutional Court ultimately ruled in the ANC's favour, overturned an earlier decision, and directed the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to place the candidates on the ballot. Mbalula framed the legal challenge as a matter of protecting voter choice in the affected municipalities.

"The courtroom is behind us. The campaign is in front of us. We are back," he said in his address.

Mbalula calls for unity

With just over two weeks remaining before polling day, Mbalula urged ANC structures and supporters to focus fully on voter mobilisation. He called on members to canvas door to door, verify voting districts, and ensure that every supporter knows where to cast their ballot on 4 November.

"We must have unity of purpose for us to tackle the struggle that lies ahead, to move faster and with determination to return the economy of South Africa to all its people," he said.

He described the upcoming electoral contest as potentially "the hardest of all the struggles we have waged before," arguing it could only be won through a unified front between the ANC and its alliance partners. Watch Mbalula's full message of appreciation delivered from Luthuli House.

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Jackie Phamotse Questions Fikile Mbalula’s Collapse After ANC’s ConCourt Victory

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Gareth Cliff reacts to Mbalula collapse

In a related article, Briefly News reported on Gareth Cliff’s reaction to footage of ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula collapsing during a media briefing outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg.

The incident happened shortly after the ANC won a court case over its candidate lists, and Mbalula’s sudden collapse was captured live on television. Cliff’s brief response helped fuel online discussion, where social media users shared sharp reactions.

Source: Briefly News