ANC steps up eThekwini campaign ahead of 4 November local elections

The African National Congress has increased its campaign activity in eThekwini ahead of South Africa’s local government elections, with senior party figures seeking to rebuild support in the Durban-based metropolitan municipality.

eNCA reported on Saturday, 26 September 2026, that the ANC was campaigning in eThekwini and hoping to win back voters after a decline in the party’s support in the metro. The report did not provide details of the campaign route, attendance or specific public events.

The election campaign comes before the local government poll scheduled for 4 November 2026, a date confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South Africa after an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The vote will determine the composition of municipal councils, including the council governing eThekwini. (elections.org.za)

What the mayor said

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba, identified by eNCA as an ANC National Executive Committee member, said the party’s immediate objective was to regain ground it had lost. He attributed part of the previous decline to low voter turnout and urged residents to participate in the election.

“Ground lost is not something you can then say is permanent,” Xaba said, according to eNCA. His remarks framed the campaign as an effort to re-engage voters rather than accept the party’s reduced support as irreversible.

Xaba’s position as eThekwini mayor is independently confirmed by the municipality’s official council records, while the city also identifies him as a serving ANC NEC member. (durban.gov.za)

Why the campaign matters

eThekwini is a major political contest for the ANC, and the party’s campaign is taking place in a broader national environment in which municipal support is being tested ahead of the local elections. The ANC’s official website lists Cyril Ramaphosa as the party’s president, consistent with eNCA’s reference to him as the ANC president. (anc1912.org.za)

The available evidence establishes that ANC leaders are campaigning in the metro and that the party is openly focused on recovering support. It does not establish how many voters attended the campaign activity, whether the party’s support has changed since the latest verified election results, or whether the campaign has altered voter sentiment.

What to watch

• Further ANC campaign events and voter-mobilisation activity in eThekwini.
• Competing parties’ responses and campaign priorities in the metro.
• Official IEC updates on candidate lists, voter registration and election preparations.
• Evidence of turnout and party support when voting takes place on 4 November.

For now, the development is a campaign push and a political appeal, not evidence of a confirmed shift in voter support. The measurable test will come through campaign activity, voter participation and the final municipal election results.

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