How many chances can ANC get before enough is enough?

The governing party can no longer assume that loyalty automatically translates into votes. When President Cyril Ramaphosa asked South Africans to give the ANC another chance, one cannot help but ask: how many chances does a political party get before voters decide “enough is enough”? The ANC has governed South Africa for over three decades. Its role in ending apartheid and ushering in democracy is undeniable. But history does not feed families, fix potholes, restore water and electricity, or create jobs. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map For millions of South Africans, the question is no longer what the ANC achieved in 1994, but what it is delivering today. That is the grim reality confronting the party as it heads into the 4 November local government elections – a moment that may toll the death knell for its future. The challenge is bigger than winning votes, it is about rebuilding trust. The 2024 general election should have been a political catastrophe. For the first time since 1994, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority and was forced to govern through a government of national unity. That result was not simply a rejection of one political party. It was a warning that historical loyalty can no longer be taken for granted. Yet, some of the behaviour of ANC leaders continues to give voters reasons to remain sceptical. What message do politicians send when communities struggle for basic services, while a Gauteng premier showers at a hotel when there’s no water at his home? What do the revelations at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry signal to voters already weary of corruption and hungry for transparency? And what does it say of leadership when a Joburg mayor, confronted by an angry resident, chooses swearing over accountability? Politicians are human. They will become frustrated. But citizens are equally frustrated. When a resident confronts a mayor, it may not be for argument’s sake. It may come from years without reliable water, electricity, waste collection, proper roads or real economic opportunity. The responsibility of a public representative is not to win arguments with residents, but to confront the conditions that fuel their anger. This is where ANC leaders and mayoral candidates must shift: from defensiveness to accountability and service delivery. They must stop asking voters to remember history and start showing results. Fewer promises, more measurable commitments – outcomes citizens can track – are the only way to rebuild trust and credibility. Leaders must tell residents when water shortages will be fixed. They must explain how roads, electricity, waste collection and local economic development will improve. Most importantly, they must admit where the ANC has failed – because honesty may carry more weight than another rally speech. The party should also pay attention to the voter who is often overlooked: the loyal supporter who is disappointed but has not necessarily embraced another political party. This voter may still identify emotionally with the ANC, but decide not to vote. That silent withdrawal may wound the party more than any opposition campaign. It signals something deeper than persuasion. It is a loss of trust. The ANC can no longer assume that loyalty automatically translates into votes. If the ANC wants another chance in November – and hopes to remain competitive in 2029 – it must earn it through competent leadership, an end to factional battles, visible service delivery, accountability and humility. South Africans have heard enough promises. The next ANC campaign should not be about telling voters why they should trust the party. It should show them why they can. Another chance cannot be demanded. It has to be earned.