Mbalula reveals shocking state of ANC support: Is the ANC becoming a rural party? | The Citizen

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and President Cyril Ramaphosa at Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen

The ANC's midterm report has revealed a shocking picture of a party slowly dying in urban areas, with an analyst reaffirming the view that it is becoming a rural party.

The party's secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, delivered his report on the health of the party in all nine provinces at the National General Council (NGC) in Boksburg on Monday.

He said the ANC in Gauteng is challenged by several factors that have weakened the party, ushering it into a minority government after the 2024 elections.

He said workers in this province no longer believe in the promises of the ANC. Furthermore, he said black professionals and entrepreneurs have also lost faith in the ANC.

Businesses have also raised concerns about the ANC's governance in South Africa's economic hub.

"In the 2024 elections, ANC support fell to 34.7% confirming a historic loss of hegemony and forcing the movement into a competitive coalition arrangement.

"The ANC now governs through coalitions in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. A provincial task team was appointed to rebuild the organisation," he said.

The ANC's membership in this province stands at 46 000, with only 178 branches being in good standing.

Political analyst Andre Duvenhage said the ANC is becoming a rural party.

"The ANC has control over the traditional leadership in the rural areas; to that extent, they are able to mobilise that support.

"I have no doubt that they will be able to perform better in the rural areas, and that excludes KZN because that is a dynamic on its own.

"But we must also take into consideration that we are expecting a drop in support for the ANC, the drop will be stronger in the urban areas and in the metropolis than in the traditional rural environment," he said.

Mbalula said KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has experienced a severe shift in the balance of forces since the 2021 local