The African National Congress (ANC) has announced a shift in strategy, vowing to concentrate on local government issues in response to growing public frustration.
Acting National Spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi said South Africans were increasingly disregarding distinctions between different levels of government.
“South Africans are no longer interested in the distinction between the different spheres of government,” Mr Godlimpi stated. “They are making the moral argument that it’s one state and one government, the problems must be attended to by everybody.”
The ruling party’s change in tack follows widespread criticism of service delivery and governance at the municipal level. Mr Godlimpi indicated that the ANC would begin its renewed focus on local government with Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.
This move comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly highlighted the need for the party to address local government challenges more seriously.
The ANC has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994 but has faced increasing pressure in recent years due to corruption allegations and service delivery failures.
Political analysts suggest this pivot could be an attempt to shore up support ahead of next year’s general election, where the ANC is expected to face its toughest challenge yet to maintain its parliamentary majority.
The opposition has long criticised the ANC for neglecting local government issues, arguing that this has led to deteriorating services in many municipalities across the country.
