ANC Gauteng faces NWC scrutiny after electoral losses

The Gauteng meeting follows last week's meeting with the KZN PEC, with reports that both structures could be disbanded.

The Gauteng PEC, led by chairperson Panyaza Lesufi, will oppose any move to disband it or recall some of its members.

This comes after the ANC secured only 34% of the vote in the province, a major decline in support in South Africa's economic hub.  

The PEC will present a detailed report on factors contributing to its electoral decline. 

Some of the factors that led to the electoral decline in Gauteng include ongoing issues with basic service delivery, such as electricity outages, water supply disruptions, and crumbling infrastructure.

The growing dissatisfaction with the management of state-owned enterprises like Eskom also played a role, with rolling blackouts affecting residents and businesses.

Persistent factionalism and leadership disputes weakened the party's unity and distracted from campaigning efforts.  

 Gauteng's urban electorate, particularly in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Ekurhuleni, showed increasing discontent with the ANC's governance, citing unemployment, and crime as key concerns.  

Younger voters, who make up a significant portion of the Gauteng electorate, showed low engagement with the ANC, perceiving the party as out of touch with their aspirations.  

 High unemployment and slow economic recovery in Gauteng further alienated voters, who blamed the ANC for the lack of tangible progress in addressing these issues.  

The NWC will use the presentation to compile recommendations for the party’s National Executive Committee.  

The NEC, which is the ANC’s highest decision-making body between conferences, will deliberate on the NWC’s findings and announce its decision this weekend. 

This will be the final NEC meeting for 2024 as the party works to rebuild its standing ahead of the 2026 local government elections.  

The NEC will also rule on the future of the KwaZulu-Natal PEC.

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