South Africans face daily struggles with unreliable municipal services. The ANC now responds with a dedicated war room strategy to confront these challenges directly. This initiative comes ahead of the 2026 local government elections and signals the party's determination to turn things around.

War Room Leadership and Purpose

Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula leads the war room. It monitors progress across provinces districts and metros to drive quick interventions. The structure aims to stabilise struggling municipalities and strengthen service delivery where it matters most.

ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile announced the plan during the party's recent lekgotla in Boksburg. He highlighted the long-standing problem of poor policy implementation and stressed the need for focused action now.

Focus on Critical Service Failures

Water shortages top the priorities. Mashatile explained the core issue clearly. "We have realised that in the main it is not that we do not have water in our dams but it is the issue of reticulation. Even in provinces where we have dams some areas do not receive water."

Rural road infrastructure draws equal attention. Visits to provinces like North West revealed severe deterioration. Mashatile noted "As we were criss-crossing the North West province one of the biggest challenges was road infrastructure."

These targeted fixes address the everyday frustrations many communities endure.

High-Level Backing and Call to Action

President Cyril Ramaphosa fully supports the effort. He described 2026 as the year of decisive action. "Our main task for this year is to fix the local government and to fundamentally transform our economy and all our actions must be geared towards that."

The strategy includes deploying capable cadres to local levels and equipping councillors with better skills to collaborate with officials. Former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe participated in the lekgotla discussions adding depth to the planning.

Mashatile reinforced the urgency echoing Ramaphosa. This push centres on practical steps to improve local governance and economic viability.

The ANC positions this war room as a serious mechanism for change. Execution will determine its impact on communities nationwide. Progress here could reshape how municipalities serve residents in the lead-up to elections.