African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday that the Government of National Unity (GNU), which the party entered into with 10 opposition parties, was a “tactical choice” made so that the ANC could rebuild its electoral base and reconnect with communities ahead of the local government elections in 2026.

In a statement titled 'ANC succession debate – A non-starter', Mbalula stressed that the ANC’s objective was an outright electoral majority that would allow it to govern without other parties.

“Such a victory is neither for its own sake nor for the leaders, but to enable accelerated national transformation and deliver on our manifesto commitments,” he said.

For the first time since it came to power in 1994, the ANC lost its outright majority, resulting in the formation of the GNU.

Ahead of the 2026 local government elections, Mbalula said the ANC was focussed on addressing the reasons for the decline in electoral support and was rebuilding on-the-ground support.

He stressed the importance of service delivery and called on ANC branches to respond to the challenges affecting their respective communities.

Further, he said the ANC was committed to renewal and warned against the apparent narrative of succession battles within the party.

“This narrative is driven by the belief that the ANC must essentially exist as a tool to contest power in order to advance self-aggrandisement. A belief suggestive that the ANC is a feeding trough, hence an insatiable scramble for leadership. This narrative is premised on a misguided analysis of our body politic, whether by default or by design. It is equally a mischievous effort aimed at detracting us from the task at hand of renewal and reversing our electoral fortunes,” Mbalula said.

The party’s fifty-sixth national conference is only set for 2027, which Mbalula says reinforces the fact that jostles for leadership positions are a “figment of the imagination of those peddling these stories.”

He described this as a reductionist approach to the party’s leadership issues and said the ANC would not engage in factional debates that hold no value for the its renewal.