ANC’s Gwede Mantashe reveals what they think of working with the Democratic Alliance and black parties because of skin colour

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe dismissed the DA as a stable coalition option and also ruled out working with black parties purely because of their skin colour.

He shared this information during an interview following the ANC’s poor performance in the 2026 local government elections.

“We dropped from 45% to about 30%, which is a 15% decline. When you characterise a 15% decline as catastrophic, it’s correct,” he said.

He blamed the fragmentation of the black voter base, saying the multitude of black parties split the black vote.

“We have 520 political parties that contested the 2026 local government elections. Almost all of the 520 parties, besides 3 or 4, are black parties,” he said.

“The reality is that so many parties dilute and weaken the black vote and its influence. The white vote consolidates whilst the black vote fragments.”

Commenting on local governments, he said that the ANC is governing alone in 53 municipalities after receiving majority support there.

“We are expected to form local governments in 129 municipalities where we are the largest party,” he said.

“Although the ANC lost its majority in many municipalities and cities, the party must never seek to govern at all costs.”

“Where we are a small party, we should be content with being in the opposition and be an effective opposition.”

The ANC national chairperson added that when they work with other parties, those parties must be carefully selected. He cited two extremes.

“This notion that when you work with the Democratic Alliance one gets stability, I don’t buy that,” he said.

“The other extreme is that we must go and work with black parties because of the colour of their skin. I also don’t buy that.”

“We need to look at each and every municipality, and one by one develop a strategy that will work uniquely for each.”

The power of the ANC’s National Executive Committee

The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) recently convened an extended special meeting to discuss the election results and the path forward.

Mantashe said that the NEC found a way forward for the unprecedented number of hung municipalities where no political party has secured a majority.  

The NEC mandated the ANC to engage all political parties, including civic movements and independents, in municipalities where no party has secured an outright majority.

The ANC said that it approaches these engagements with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and a constructive engagement in the best interests of its people.

He highlighted that the NEC is the ANC’s highest decision-making body between elective conferences.

“When individuals believe they are bigger than the organisation and express their views outside of the structures, that borders on indiscipline,” he said.

“Former leaders have a responsibility to help the ANC rebuild itself, not to destroy it and accelerate that destruction.”

He said that the National Executive Committee has recalled two Presidents, and that they must comply with its decision.

“The ANC must make decisions within its structures. Those decisions must be respected, and leadership must be allowed to do its work,” he said.

Following the 2026 elections, the NEC established the policy, principles, and red lines that dictate which parties the ANC is willing to engage with and under what conditions.

Any final coalition agreements, especially in major metropolitan municipalities, require the NEC’s blessing before implementation.

Because the full NEC cannot meet daily, the day-to-day oversight falls to the ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Officials.

They include ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Mantashe, and Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.

The group also includes the two Deputy Secretaries-General, Nomvula Mokonyane and Moropene Ramokgopa, and the Treasurer-General, Gwen Ramokgopa.

They interpret the NEC’s mandate, monitor talks, and step in to resolve deadlocks during the negotiation window.