By Rebone Tau
The African National Congress (ANC) has reached a defining moment ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE).
The adoption of Version 11 of the Candidate Selection Rules, Guidelines and Procedures by the National Executive Committee (NEC) introduces one of the most significant interventions in the party’s candidate selection process in recent years: taking the process closer to communities and allowing ordinary voters to have a greater say in who represents them.
This is not merely an administrative change. It is a direct response to the crisis of trust that has confronted the ANC, particularly at the local government level.
The decline in electoral support in the 2024 General Elections was not only a national warning; it reflected deep frustrations within communities about service delivery, accountability and the quality of local leadership.
Municipalities are the coalface of government. They are where citizens experience the state daily — whether through access to water, electricity, roads, refuse collection and local economic opportunities.
Yet, for many South Africans, local government has become a symbol of disappointment. The question facing the ANC is whether it can rebuild the relationship between the party and the communities it seeks to serve.
The new candidate selection guidelines acknowledge a painful reality: in some instances, candidates have been selected based on internal popularity within ANC structures rather than their acceptance and credibility within communities.
The ANC’s own conference resolutions have recognised that people who are popular inside the organisation do not always enjoy support among the electorate.
This has created a perception among many communities that candidate selection processes are controlled by factions, with preferred individuals being pushed through branch structures regardless of their standing among residents.
The introduction of community meetings is therefore an attempt to correct this imbalance by ensuring that ANC candidates are not only chosen by members but are also tested by the people they will represent.
The process begins with Branch General Meetings (BGM), where ANC branches nominate four ward candidates. However, the real test comes at the community meeting, where residents registered on the voters’ roll of that ward participate. The community has the opportunity to assess the candidates based on their credibility, integrity, skills, experience and track record.
Importantly, the guidelines allow for an additional candidate to be nominated from the floor if participants are not satisfied with the four candidates presented by the branch. This provision is a recognition that communities cannot simply be presented with predetermined choices and expected to endorse them without question.
Notably, the guidelines state that candidates need to have a minimum of a matric qualification to qualify for nomination and/or the “capacity, experience, education or expertise” to make a constructive contribution in municipal councils.
They add that the matric requirement may be waived by the ANC’s Electoral Committee “under exceptional circumstances.” It would indeed make sense to waive this requirement for aspiring candidates who have been serving the community and are well-known to have done so.
The success of this process will depend on whether the ANC respects the spirit of this reform. The additional candidate cannot be treated as a symbolic gesture. If communities exercise their democratic right to nominate an individual who enjoys genuine support, that candidate must be given a fair opportunity to compete.
The danger for the ANC is that old habits may undermine a new process.
If community-preferred candidates are blocked through technicalities or internal manipulation, the party risks reinforcing the very perceptions it is trying to overcome. Communities are increasingly demanding accountability and meaningful participation. They want leaders who are accountable to them, not only to internal party networks.
The high level of interest in these community meetings demonstrates something important: South Africans are not necessarily disconnected from politics. They are disconnected from political processes that make them feel powerless. When citizens are given a genuine opportunity to influence who represents them, they are willing to participate.
This should be an important lesson for all political parties. Voter apathy is often not a rejection of democracy; it is a rejection of politics that excludes ordinary people. Participation creates ownership, and ownership builds trust.
For the ANC, this process represents both an opportunity and a risk. It can become a turning point in rebuilding confidence by proving that renewal is not just a slogan but a lived reality. Alternatively, if factional interests override community voices, the party may lose an opportunity to reconnect with millions of South Africans.
The ANC has always defined itself as a movement rooted among the people. The 2026 candidate selection process provides an opportunity to demonstrate that this principle remains alive. The people are prepared to participate. The question is whether the ANC is prepared to listen.
The future of the liberation movement may not only depend on the policies it presents, but on whether communities believe they have a real stake in choosing those who carry its name.
Rebone Tau is a political commentator and author of The Rise and Fall of the ANCYL. She is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Pan-African Thought & Conversation (IPATC) at the University of Johannesburg. She writes in her personal capacity.
About the Author
