By Celani Sikhakhane
- Gwede Mantashe says the ANC in KZN must renew itself to recover from election losses and prepare for the 2026 local government elections.
- ANC leaders and youth activists call for reforms, a national convention, and stronger grassroots efforts to rebuild support before the next elections.
ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe says the party in KwaZulu-Natal must go through a renewal process to recover from its poor performance in the general elections and prepare for the 2026 local government elections.
Speaking in Inanda, north of Durban, during the 79th commemoration of ANC founding president John Langalibalele Dube’s life, Mantashe stressed the need for change within the provincial ANC.
“KZN ANC need to be born again so that it could be able to face the 2026 local government,” he said.
The event was held at Ohlange High School, which was founded by Dube, who was affectionately known as Mafukuzela.
Dube played a crucial role in community development, focusing on farming, education, and the fight for black people’s freedom through the formation of the ANC in 1912.
Mantashe reminded ANC leaders that being deployed as councillors or mayors was not an opportunity to loot public funds.
Dube’s grandson, Langa Dube, said the ANC should hold a national convention to cleanse itself before facing the public in 2026.
“It is very important that the ANC should hold a national convention to cleanse itself. This will help the party to be able to answer to the people on the party’s mistakes and other issues before they even campaign for the local government elections,” he said.
The ANC Youth League in KZN echoed this, saying the party must focus on strengthening its branches and winning by-elections to build momentum ahead of 2026.
Ohlange High School holds historical significance as the place where Nelson Mandela voted for the first time in 1994, paying tribute to Dube and declaring that South Africans were “free at last.”
Pictured above: ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe, John Langalibalele Dube’s grandson Langa Dube with the school kids of Ohlange High during the 79th commemoration of JL Dube.
Image source: ANC
