LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: The top four parties’ final campaign pitches

Ramaphosa acknowledges ANC’s ‘shortcomings’Addressing supporters at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the party’s record in government, insisting that it remains committed to listening to communities and addressing their concerns.The President sought to reaffirm the ANC’s ability to govern, highlighting its achievements in expanding access to basic services, education and healthcare, while promising renewed investment and improved municipal governance.President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses supporters at the Siyanqoba Rally at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Sunday, 1 November. (Photo: X / @MYANC) Ramaphosa maintained that despite the ANC’s challenges, its ability to engage directly with communities distinguished it from its political opponents.“We are the only organisation that goes from village to village, that goes from town to town, that goes from city to city, from metro to metro ... listening to our people. That is what makes a difference between the ANC and all other parties.”While Ramaphosa spoke confidently about the party’s track record, he offered little reflection on the governance failures and controversies that have contributed to its declining support.“Yes, we have had shortcomings. We stand here to say the ANC is ready to do more. The ANC is ready to address the aspirations of our people,” he said.He acknowledged the frustration of young people struggling to find employment despite obtaining tertiary qualifications, saying the party had listened to their concerns.His key commitments included:Municipal infrastructure investment;Addressing unemployment;Implementation of party policies; andAccountable and ethical leadership.ANC supporters at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s rally at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane. (Photo: X / @MYANC) Ramaphosa called for municipalities to become centres of economic opportunity and development, arguing that the next generation of local councillors needed to prioritise implementation rather than simply developing policies and plans.“We’ve got the plans, we’ve got the budgets. We now say our councillors must go and implement the policies and the decisions,” he said.Ramaphosa stressed the importance of electing “accountable, capable and ethical people”. He pointed to the end of load shedding as evidence of the ANC-led government’s ability to deliver, noting that South Africa had gone more than 500 days without load shedding.“A few months ago we had load shedding all over. It was the ANC-led government that made sure that we bring an end to load shedding,” he said.Cyril Ramaphosa and frontline supporters at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Sunday. (Photo: X / @MYANC) ‘This is a two-horse race,’ says DAA sea of blue swept across Moretele Park in Mamelodi, Pretoria, on Saturday as the Democratic Alliance held its final national rally ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections, with party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis urging voters to unite behind the party to bring about political change.Thousands of supporters, draped in DA regalia, gathered at the venue, singing party chants as a helicopter carrying a DA banner bearing the slogan “Working for All” flew overhead.DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis addresses supporters at Moretele Park in Mamelodi, Pretoria, on 31 October. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) The message from Hill-Lewis, backed by the party’s mayoral candidates, was a final plea to voters who had not previously supported the DA to give it a chance to govern.Hill-Lewis framed the election as an opportunity to change South Africa’s political trajectory and strengthen the party’s position nationally.“Today I am asking South Africans to do something historic: make the DA the biggest party in this election,” he said. “The ANC’s decline must become South Africa’s recovery.”Geordin Hill-Lewis and other DA leaders greet supporters at Moretele Park on 31 October. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) The DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, at Moretele Park on 31 October. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) He argued that the election was a two-horse race between the ANC and DA, saying his party was within reach of overtaking the ANC nationally.“This is a two-horse race for first place in South Africa – the ANC or the DA. And we are going for first place, because we know that is what’s needed to fix our country,” he said. “Let us make this election the beginning of a journey to a DA-led national government in 2029.”He warned voters against supporting smaller parties, arguing that this could allow the ANC to return to power through coalition arrangements. The DA has made service delivery, infrastructure maintenance and corruption central themes of its campaign, positioning itself as an alternative to what it describes as failing ANC-led administrations.Hill-Lewis said the party has invested more in basic infrastructure than all three of the Gauteng metros combined. He urged voters to give the DA the strength to:Appoint competent people;Tackle corruption;Repair infrastructure; andImprove services.Geordin Hill-Lewis holds Ntanganedzeni Munyai (9) during the party’s rally on 31 October. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) He also sought to address perceptions that the party represents only certain racial groups, insisting that its appeal was broader.“There is one belief, one commitment that guides me, and it is this: that every child, no matter their race, no matter if they are rich or poor, no matter where in South Africa they are born, every single child deserves the opportunity to live a good life,” said Hill-Lewis.The rally ended with supporters chanting alongside the party leader: “Stop the chaos! Start delivery!”Geordin Hill-Lewis dances on stage during the party’s final rally on 31 October. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) ‘We are not yet free,’ says MK party uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party leader Jacob Zuma was introduced by his son, the party’s deputy president, Duduzane Zuma, at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Sunday and repeated many of his past grievances. He blasted the Government of National Unity (GNU), saying that parties working with “white people” showed that South Africa was not free. Speaking in isiZulu, he said the country was dying a second death. Former president and leader of MK party Jacob Zuma. (Photo: Luba Lesolle / Gallo Images) Zuma said one cannot sit with an enemy and claim them as a brother. “This shows that we are not where we are headed yet. We are not yet free,” said Zuma.“That is why, as the MK party, we took a decision to advance the fight for black people. They killed us. We will not allow them to kill us again. We will fight until we end the GNU.” The MK party led multiple legal challenges against the 2024 elections, all of which were rejected. On Sunday, he continued to claim the party was “robbed”.“We have not caused trouble. We did not cause trouble despite being robbed. Even now, we are saying that we want to be given what we said we want that belongs to us,” said Zuma.Zuma did not go into the MK party’s election promises. (Read Daily Maverick’s review of its manifesto.)Jacob Zuma at the MK party’s first anniversary rally at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in 2024. (Photo: Elias Mbuwane / Gallo Images) Zuma’s key pitch was that his party would continue working to advance the interests of black South Africans. “I can say today that we will come together as black people and we will take the country,” he said.“We need to take our country. We are the right ones to do it because the country is ours. We will take our country and that will begin here.”He expressed confidence that the MK party would win the elections and said that once in power, the MK party would take back “stolen” land. Zuma’s address was his first public appearance since he was hospitalised almost a month ago, leading to speculation about his health and the party’s future. “It’s not a thing. They keep saying, ‘He is dying, he is dying.’ I am myself and will always be myself until the end,” said Zuma.EFF rallies against corruptionThe EFF held its final rally in sweltering heat in Orlando Stadium, Soweto, on Saturday. Top of the agenda was failing service delivery, amid widespread water outages across parts of Johannesburg and uncollected refuse due to ongoing strikes. EFF leader Julius Malema at the Tshela Thupa Rally at Orlando Stadium on 31 October in Soweto. (Photo: Fani Mahuntsi / Gallo Images) Party leader Julius Malema blamed the service delivery failures on contractors and corrupt officials who have “turned local government finances into their personal bank accounts”. He alleged that contractors intentionally leave jobs incomplete to guarantee new tenders the following year, while corrupt officials squeeze businesses for kickbacks.“For them, broken infrastructure is not a problem. It is a form of income,” said Malema. “Small businesses and contractors that have delivered services are told they will not be paid unless they pay a percentage to the officials; payments are withheld for months, and many small businesses are closed while they wait for money they have already earned. That is why our young people who start businesses in their communities give up: they do the work honestly, and they are punished for refusing to pay a bribe.”EFF supporters at the party’s rally in Soweto on 31 October. (Photo: Jamie Ho) If elected, the EFF vowed to:Reduce the number of tenders issued and build municipal capacity by in-sourcing workers, including artisans, to perform municipal infrastructure maintenance services;Fix roads and leaky pipes, and maintain water treatment centres;Roll out more 24-hour clinics;Formalise informal settlements by introducing basic services; and Reclaim hijacked buildings to convert them into affordable housing and student accommodation. “They must know we don’t care whether you are South African or you are a Nigerian – when you hijack a building in Johannesburg, from the 5th November, you are a criminal and we are going to deal with you decisively. All the hijacked buildings must be returned to the city and the city must convert them into residential areas,” said Malema. Julius Malema and other party leaders dance on stage at Orlando Stadium during the party’s final rally ahead of the 4 November elections. (Photo: Jamie Ho) Malema also condemned the brutal farm robbery that took place in Ventersdorp on Wednesday, 28 October, in which 50-year-old farmer Donovan Marx was shot and stabbed before having both ears cut off. Two suspects have been arrested. “We never called for the literal killing of human beings… How can we kill the people who are feeding us? No white farmer must be killed. No black farmer must be killed. No woman must be killed,” said Malema. DM