ANC focuses on local election groundwork

The African National Congress (ANC) is taking an unusual approach to the upcoming November local government elections, with a low-key campaign that has raised eyebrows among observers. The absence of posters in some urban centers and the delay in naming candidates have led some to question the party’s election strategy.

However, ANC insiders say the party is working on a more rigorous selection process and a ground-up campaign aimed at addressing the turnout problem that hurt it in the last election.

The ANC is betting that a slower, more disciplined build will matter more on election day than an early show of visibility. Other parties have used the head start to build momentum with voters who are already paying attention.

Candidate announcements are still pending, and the manifesto has not been launched. The ANC held the first of its 2021 Local Government Elections Manifesto Review media briefings, assessing the party’s progress against 102 commitments made five years ago.

The party acknowledged it has not always acted decisively and that indecision has compromised improvements that could otherwise have been made, while asking voters for another chance. Mayoral candidates are expected to be announced the next week.

Related: Armscor opens R400bn IP vault to partners

According to social research polling, national ANC support is at 34%, against 27% for the DA and a rising MK party at 15%. In Johannesburg, the ANC polls at 18%, less than half the DA’s 42%.

In eThekwini, the ANC has slipped to third place, behind the DA and MK. Tshwane is the ANC’s strongest metro, with support just above 30%, but still well short of a DA above 40%.

With less than three months to go, Gauteng streets carry noticeably fewer ANC posters than in past cycles, while the DA has already rolled out an extensive digital push.

The ANC’s manifesto launch, set for a smaller setting in the Joburg township of Diepsloot, breaks with the tradition of staging these events as large-scale political theatre.

The ANC has also changed how it selects mayoral candidates this cycle. Regional leaders no longer receive an automatic ticket, and the party has run an extensive interview process, considering more than 10,000 candidates across 4,300 wards nationally.

ANC volunteers have apparently been trained through structured programmes, political education workshops and direct campaign mobilisation. These initiatives focus on building local election capacity and community outreach, which will be complemented by party leaders on the ground.

Related: SA China energy pitch now faces delivery test

A heavy emphasis on sustained, personal voter contact has apparently already been rolled out. The ANC lost its national majority because it refused to change tack or address its structural shortcomings.

It appears to have finally realised that relentless pamphleteering will only further inflame the deadly levels of political apathy that have pervaded South Africa. A more mature approach from all major political parties can only be a good thing.

As the election approaches, the ANC’s new strategy will be put to the test. The party’s ability to execute its ground game and build momentum with voters will be important in determining its success.

For now, the ANC remains focused on its ground campaign, with party leaders and volunteers working to build support and engage with voters. Only time will tell if this approach will be enough to turn the tide in the party’s favor.

They are working to address the turnout problem that hurt them in the last election.