ANC announces new Gauteng leadership tasked with rebuilding party’s declining fortunes

In a move to revive the ANC’s Gauteng structures, reverse its electoral decline and transform its image in the province, the party has unveiled a 68-member provincial structure, featuring veteran politicians and reshuffled members from various factions, to guide the party to the 2026 local government elections.

On Wednesday, the ANC officially announced the members of its Gauteng Provincial Task Team (PTT), tasked with rebuilding the party after it won just 34% of the vote in the 2024 general elections.

The announcement came a day after the party introduced a similar structure in KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC’s largest province by membership and the hardest hit by the rise of the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. The ANC’s share of the provincial KZN vote dropped from 54.22% in 2019 to 16.99% in 2024.

Read more: ANC announces 67-member KZN task team to address 'existential threat' after election clobbering

In Gauteng, SA’s economic hub with a population of about 17 million, the ANC’s share of the vote dropped from 50.02% in 2019 to 34.8% in 2024.

The PTT’s immediate priority, said ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday, was to conduct an audit and rebuild the party’s structures, after which it could hold elective conferences.

New leaders

The long-awaited announcement follows a decision by the ANC’s highest decision-making body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), in December 2024 to “reconfigure” the Gauteng and KZN provincial executive committees (PECs) after the two provinces’ poor electoral performance.

It has since become evident that the structures in these two provinces have effectively been disbanded.

The Gauteng structure will be led by former Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo, who has been appointed as the convenor.

Masondo was Joburg’s mayor from 2001 to 2011, making him one of the longest-serving mayors in the city’s history. He was a former chair of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Parliament from 2019 to 2024.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi will serve as co-convenor, while Ntombi Mekgwe is deputy provincial convenor.

Former Gauteng provincial secretary and MP Hope Papo has been named the province’s coordinator, with Health MEC Nomantu Ralehoko-Nkomo his deputy. MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara was named as the provincial fundraiser.



Read more: ANC looks to old hands to revive Gauteng, KZN — chairpersons survive

Lesufi’s ‘vote of confidence’

Although Lesufi will remain as premier, his power has been somewhat diluted as he now shares responsibility as the province’s co-convenor, meaning he will have an equal political counterpart to answer to.

Lesufi said: “I have been given a new task. To me, it is refreshing, exciting, but most importantly it stretched our capability to respond to all the issues outlined.”

Mbalula was alleged to have pushed for the disbandment of the PECs to weaken them ahead of the 2027 elective conference, which will signal the end of Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency due to the party’s two-term limit.

Daily Maverick has reported that Mbalula had sought to remove Lesufi, particularly as the province had thrown its support behind Deputy President Paul Mashatile to succeed Ramaphosa — a position Mbalula is said to be targeting.

Read more: ANC’s dilemma: Leadership crisis deepens as MK party threatens KZN coalition stability

In October, Mbalula attempted to institute disciplinary proceedings against Lesufi for his criticism of the Government of National Unity and what he termed “bringing the party into disrepute” — but later made an about-turn.

On Wednesday, Mbalula said the party’s national leadership still had confidence in Lesufi’s leadership.

“The ANC leadership has shown a vote of confidence in Panyaza’s leadership in government. That is why he’s being retained because anything other than that would have shown that we don’t have confidence in his leadership in government or otherwise,” said Mbalula.

Responding to questions about whether the structure would be starting from scratch, Mbalula said this was not the case, as the team would “build on anything that is good” and eliminate “anything that is a failure”.

Hard line on ‘negative energy’

The ANC’s former provincial secretary TK Nciza wasn’t included in the PTT’s top six leaders, although he is a PTT member.

He has lost his power to control the branches and regions in the province, and has been relegated to serve as an ordinary PTT member, part of a delegation that will assist in the West Rand region.

Regarding possible litigation from members aggrieved by the process of appointing the PTT, Mbalula said he had taken note of a “mischievous” WhatsApp message circulating, but warned that the party would defend its decision.

“It’s possible people can litigate. We will defend our decision any time. There is a basis for defending.”

Mbalula also defended the party’s decision to have a 68-member structure, which has become a point of contention for those contemplating legal action.

“If anyone is going to come with negative energy into this PTT, in this process, we will remove them. There’s not going to be a wait until the next conference, you are gone.”

The announcement comes just 18 months before the 2026 local government elections.

“Preparations for the 2026 local government elections will be a key focus with the objective of recovering lost ground and ensuring the ANC remains at the centre of government,” said Mbalula. DM