MBOMBELA, Mpumalanga — The African National Congress (ANC) in the Ehlanzeni district has officially identified Mbombela and Thaba Chweu as strategic municipalities requiring focused leadership ahead of the upcoming 2026 local government elections. During a recent media briefing in the region, party leadership outlined its comprehensive electoral readiness across four key areas, emphasizing a renewed mandate to fix local governance.
The party highlighted that Mbombela, Bushbuckridge, Nkomazi, and Thaba Chweu are the primary focus areas for the upcoming polls. According to the party, the national process for managing these strategic municipalities includes strict credentials for mayoral candidate selection and a push for broader community participation. Leadership stressed that local government must not be reduced to the personal ambitions of individuals, but must instead remain strictly focused on the collective interests of the communities.
Addressing the media, Folas Sibuyi, the ANC Ehlanzeni Secretary, tackled concerns regarding perceived bias in the city of Mbombela. Some observers noted a senior comrade frequently moving with deployed candidates during campaigns, which raised questions about fairness.
Sibuyi clarified the situation, explaining the comrade’s prominent role in the provincial structure. “So, but we are aware that people may think that there’s biasness particularly in the city of Mbombela because they always see a comrade moving around with deploys maybe from the ANC during these campaigns,” Sibuyi explained. “The reason is that he is serving in the PEC [Provincial Executive Committee] Mpumalanga and also serving in the PWC [Provincial Working Committee]. So he’s a senior comrade in the province.”
Beyond internal party dynamics, the broader community remains focused on service delivery. Residents have identified reliable water, road maintenance, dependable electricity, and the reduction of unemployment as their top priorities. In response, the ANC has declared 2026 a “year of decisive action” to fix local government and address these pressing needs.
Meanwhile, traditional leaders across Mpumalanga have issued a strong call for peace and stability. They are urging all community members to tolerate one another and maintain calm leading up to the polls. The leaders emphasized that no violence is expected, asking residents to ensure they do not fight each other, even if they hold differing political views.
On the campaign trail, the ANC is projecting high confidence in its electoral strategy. Sibuyi noted that the party has successfully registered a high number of special voters, who are slated to cast their ballots on November 3.
Highlighting the party’s grassroots efforts, Sibuyi referred to their door-to-door campaign as “water harvesting,” noting that the data and support gathered so far provide strong hope for a decisive victory.
“We are definitely sure that by the 3rd of November, the ANC will be leading in all municipalities,” Sibuyi stated, adding that the numbers harvested through door-to-door engagements give the party confidence that it will win outright. “We are not planning for a coalition.”
Voters will ultimately have the final say when they head to the polls on November 4 to decide the future leadership of their municipalities.
