Ramaphosa Vows to Hold ANC Mayors and Councillors Accountable or Remove Them, SA Remains Sceptical

• President Ramaphosa addressed African National Congress supporters at the party's manifesto launch in Diepsloot on 23 August 2026
• The ANC President also announced plans to deal with mayors and councillors who didn't work for the communities they served
• South Africans weighed in on Ramaphosa's pledge, with many noting that the ANC had made similar promises in the past

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG — President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised that the African National Congress (ANC) would hold its elected local government officials to formal accountability standards or remove them from office.

Speaking at Riverside Park, Diepsloot, where the party launched its election manifesto, Ramaphosa stated that every ANC mayor and councillor would be required to sign a public performance agreement and a code of ethical conduct. The Local Government Elections will be held on 4 November 2026.

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He added that officials would face regular assessments, participate in leadership development programmes, and report consistently to the communities they serve.

ANC pledges community-centred governance

Speaking about the ANC’s commitment to renewal and accountability, the President said they wanted officials who worked for the community.

"We don't want councillors and mayors who, after being elected, become disconnected from their communities.

"We want community engagement, community meetings, community report backs, community updates, and community mandate-seeking, so that we move in tandem with our people."

He also warned that officials who fail to perform, act dishonestly, or neglect their communities would definitely be removed.

South Africans push back against Ramaphosa’s renewal promises

The speech drew immediate scepticism on social media, with many users pointing to the ANC's three decades in power as evidence that such commitments rarely translate into action.

@carlacarelse wrote:

"Didn't Cyril promise in 2018 when he became president that this was the start of a new dawn? And since then, he's made a few speeches where he's promised to put an end to corruption. Enter Madlanga Commission, and here we are."

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@TheAdonisView raised a pointed question:

"The real question is what happens when ANC mayors and councillors fail, waste money or abuse power? Signatures mean nothing without consequences, transparency and actual enforcement."

@UnityInSA asked simply:

"So what were they doing for the past 30 years? Surely that should have been obvious from day one."

@Pvanda noted the repetition:

"It's not the first time he's saying it. Even in the last Local Government Elections he said the same thing."

@sku_man offered a blunt assessment:

"Ethical conduct and ANC in one sentence should be illegal."

Fikile Mbalula asks church to pray for ANC

Briefly News reported that Fikile Mbalula addressed the congregation of St John's Apostolic Church, where he called for forgiveness and prayers.

The ANC Secretary General stated that the party could not be judged based on the actions of some members.

His appeal sparked outrage among South Africans who questioned the intersection of politics and religion.

Source: Briefly News