Also known as: ANC · African National Congress (ANC) · ANC KZN · the ANC · ANC-led alliance · ANC-led municipality · ANC leadership · ANC committee
South African political party experiencing internal divisions ahead of November 2026 local elections and facing constitutional challenges over the Ramaphosa impeachment process.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on African National Congress
Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
African National Congress has systematically degraded institutions by filling them with party loyalists
“The country is steadily losing skilled people and the African National Congress government has systematically degraded the institutions it needed most by filling them with party loyalists rather than professionals.”
Will Namibia Pursue the Singapore or the SA Model?The Namibian
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the ANC would write to all its members with a 10-day deadline to declare whether they would campaign for SACP or ANC
“Earlier this week, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said his party would write to all its members and give them a deadline of 10 days from Thursday to tell Luthuli House whether they would be campaigning for the SACP or the ANC during the local elections.”
The ANC and SACP — it’s more than just a messy divorceThe Namibian
The African National Congress saw support drop below 50% in the 2024 election
“There was a lot of noise surrounding the 2024 election result, which saw the African National Congress support drop below 50% for the first time and forced it into a coalition with the DA and eight other parties.”
Can this man broaden the appeal of a South African party seen by some as ‘too white'?The Namibian
African National Congress (ANC) held secret meetings with specialists from 'The Company', a network run by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service
“In Johannesburg, secret meetings were held between specialists from 'The Company', a network run by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, and leaders of the African National Congress (ANC).”
Russian agents pull strings in SAThe Namibian
Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress in its struggle against apartheid
“He led the African National Congress in its struggle against apartheid – a system of legally enforced racism – and was released from prison in 1990.”
Mandela's prison key, sunglasses and shirt can be sold after daughter wins court battleThe Namibian
African National Congress brought in democratic rule in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black president
“Mthethwa was a high-ranking member of the African National Congress, the party that brought in democratic rule in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black president.”
South Africa's top diplomat in France found dead near Paris hotelThe Namibian
The ANC voted against adoption of the Section 89 panel report, with 214 MPs blocking impeachment inquiry
“Yet, when the report was tabled in Parliament in December 2022, the ANC majority closed ranks: 214 MPs voted against its adoption, effectively blocking an impeachment inquiry.”
R8m cash stash at Phala Phala — Who knew what, and when?The Namibian
African National Congress lost its majority in last year's national election
“Last year's national election, in which the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time, reflected people's frustration with the party's neoliberal rule.”
South Africa’s Elites Are Jeopardising Its DemocracyThe Namibian
African National Congress has compared for decades Israel's policies in Gaza and the West Bank with its own history of oppression under apartheid
“For decades, South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) party has compared Israel's policies in Gaza and the West Bank with its own history of oppression under the harsh apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most black people to areas called 'homelands', before ending in 1994.”
UN rapporteur demands global action to stop Israel’s ‘genocide’ in GazaThe Namibian
African National Congress has enriched a handful of people connected to it through BEE programmes
“The current version has only enriched a handful of people connected to the African National Congress (ANC) – so-called 'political capitalists', politicians who have never started a genuine business nor managed one.”
N$1 Trillion for What? South Africa’s BEE MisstepFormer South African president Thabo Mbeki told the Khampepe Commission that he met apartheid-era generals only when they approached the ANC in 1996 seeking amnesty, denying secret dealings and attributing TRC prosecution delays to the National Prosecuting Authority rather than political interference.
20 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki told the Khampepe Commission that he met apartheid-era generals only when they approached the ANC in 1996 seeking amnesty, denying secret dealings and attributing TRC prosecution delays to the National Prosecuting Authority rather than political interference.
20 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Ahead of South Africa's 4 November local government elections, voter registration has reached 29 million people, but participation rates have declined steadily from 89.3% in 1999 to 58.6% in 2024, with youth disillusionment and distrust in political promises driving non-voters to potentially become the largest electoral segment.
6 October 2026 · The Namibian →
OvaHerero and Nama descendants in South Africa have petitioned President Cyril Ramaphosa and the German Embassy, seeking inclusion in negotiations over the 1904–1908 genocide and discussions of reparations and historical redress, arguing the genocide's effects extend beyond Namibia's borders.
6 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
OvaHerero descendants in South Africa have petitioned President Cyril Ramaphosa to support their calls for justice and reparations over genocides committed by Imperial Germany between 1904 and 1908, citing ongoing land dispossession, forced displacement, economic marginalisation, and cultural disruption.
3 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Eastern Cape ANC secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi is threatening to sue Fikile Mbalula, the party's secretary-general, for defamation over claims that Ngcukayitobi was responsible for the ANC's failure to submit candidate lists on time. Ngcukayitobi's lawyers have demanded Mbalula retract the allegations by 12 midday on Tuesday, 22 September.
18 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The ANC's candidate list crisis for 4 November local elections is revealing deep divisions as powerful provincial and regional blocs defy the party centre, with 181 councillor candidates failing to register. The conflict suggests the party's traditional structure of democratic centralism is weakening as it becomes increasingly federalised, with provincial power brokers scuttling reform candidates backed by national leaders.
15 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian reviews the ANC's local government election manifesto, noting that while the party acknowledges municipal failures including unreliable services, deteriorating infrastructure, and corruption, the manifesto's feasibility remains questionable. The ANC promises infrastructure repairs, water management improvements, and sets targets including reducing non-revenue water below 30% in metropolitan municipalities.
27 August 2026 · The Namibian →
South African Minister Ronald Lamola accepted the SADC Chairpersonship on behalf of South Africa for 2026–2027, emphasizing the role as a collective responsibility guided by principles of solidarity, unity, sovereign equality, and shared prosperity.
14 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Prime Minister Tjitunga Ngurare, speaking at a colloquium marking Fidel Castro's centenary, delivered a statement from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasizing Namibia's historical ties to Cuba and its recent support for ending the economic blockade, noting that Namibia was among 136 nations that called for the blockade's end.
14 August 2026 · The Namibian →
South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is wielding considerable power as the second-most influential figure in government after President Cyril Ramaphosa, as demonstrated by his decisions at the Public Investment Corporation and actions affecting municipalities. The article notes that a finance minister typically holds more actual authority than other senior officials due to their control over the national budget, and Godongwana has been able to exercise this power with clear presidential backing.
30 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Parliament's impeachment committee voted 14–13 to appeal an interdict halting public proceedings against President Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala forex theft; delays over procedural matters such as appointing evidence leaders and finalising terms of reference suggest a lengthy process ahead if hearings commence.
30 July 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece critiques recent xenophobic protests in South Africa as a betrayal of the country's historical ties to neighbouring migrants and its anti-apartheid solidarity legacy, invoking Hugh Masekela's song about migrant labour that built South African wealth.
5 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia and Tanzania have signed several Memoranda of Understanding to strengthen cooperation in trade, agriculture, defence, and small and medium-sized enterprises, following President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's three-day state visit to Tanzania. High-level talks between the two presidents covered trade, mining, regional integration, investment, agriculture and infrastructure development.
22 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the historic Kongwa military camp in Tanzania during a state visit, where Swapo established its first major training and operational base in 1964. The president toured facilities including the dormitory of founding president Sam Nujoma and paid tribute to fallen Namibian freedom fighters at a memorial site.
22 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Makashule Gana, a Rise Mzansi MP, has been elected chairperson of Parliament's Section 89 impeachment committee, which will decide President Cyril Ramaphosa's future. The committee includes prominent MPs from multiple parties, including EFF leader Julius Malema, DA representatives, MK leader John Hlophe, BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane, and ActionSA's Lerato Ngobeni.
2 June 2026 · The Namibian →
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced he will pursue a judicial review of a Section 89 independent panel report that could lead to his impeachment over the Phala Phala saga. The Constitutional Court cleared the path for a public impeachment hearing into Ramaphosa's conduct on 8 May.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled that the National Assembly's December 2022 vote declining to refer an independent panel's report on President Cyril Ramaphosa to an impeachment committee was unconstitutional and invalid, and has now referred the report directly to the impeachment committee. An analyst says the ANC's use of majoritarian tactics to shield Ramaphosa has left the party in crisis ahead of 2026 local elections.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled that parliament violated the constitution by blocking moves to impeach president Cyril Ramaphosa in 2022, following a legal challenge by Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters and others. The ruling could result in fresh impeachment proceedings; Ramaphosa's office says he respects the judgement and reaffirms his commitment to the constitution and rule of law.
9 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Pan-African Parliament in South Africa this week is electing a new bureau after resolving a 15-year argument about leadership representation. In May 2017, the PAP passed a resolution to introduce regional rotation of the presidency, addressing a pattern in which only east, west, and central African leaders held the top position during the institution's first 18 years.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Freedom Party has expelled its sole representative in the KZN legislature, Mbali Shinga, after she defied party leadership to vote against a motion of no confidence in Premier Thami Ntuli in December, preventing the MK party from seizing control of the province.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's upcoming offshore oil, gas, and mineral wealth presents an opportunity or trap depending on management. An opinion piece contrasts Singapore's model of meritocracy and clean governance with South Africa's race-based empowerment and state patronage, positioning them as competing templates for Namibia's development path.
26 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The ANC has given its members who also belong to the SACP a 10-day deadline to declare which party they will campaign for in local elections, after the SACP announced it would contest independently. The move highlights tensions within the historically intertwined alliance and poses practical complications for senior figures like SACP chairperson Blade Nzimande and ANC Chair Gwede Mantashe, both of whom hold ministerial positions.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →
On Swapo's 66th anniversary, party leader Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that while the party's liberation struggle history is important, it alone cannot carry the party forward as people now expect tangible improvements in jobs, housing, healthcare, and education. Political analysts noted Swapo's waning electoral support over recent elections due to corruption and declining leadership quality, though the party remains the country's strongest with functional regional structures.
21 April 2026 · New Era →
Geordin Hill-Lewis, 39, has become leader of South Africa's second-largest Democratic Alliance party, tasked with extending its support beyond its predominantly white and minority voter base to the black majority who make up about 80% of the population. Hill-Lewis has acknowledged a "trust deficit" and says winning the trust of more black South Africans will be his main focus, supported by a more diverse and younger senior leadership team than his predecessors.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A Daily Maverick investigation suggests South African Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe falsely told Parliament that two luxury SUVs were donated to the ANC Women's League, when records show the vehicles were registered in the names of her children in April 2024 without being disclosed in accordance with government ethics codes.
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A data leak reviewed by Forbidden Stories reveals that Russian influence agents engaged in covert operations during South African election campaigns between 2019 and 2025, including secret meetings with ANC leadership, smear campaigns against opposition parties, and fabricated documents. The Company, a network run by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, allocated significant budgets for online disinformation campaigns and paid social media influencers to target political opponents.
19 March 2026 · The Namibian →
According to The Namibian opinion analysis, South Africa's ANC faces upcoming local elections with little apparent focus on governance messaging or strategic preparation, while the party confronts internal disputes, municipal service delivery failures, and dwindling support from coalition partners that could further erode its electoral standing.
12 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Mosiuoa Lekota, a prominent anti-apartheid campaigner who served as South Africa's defence minister and ANC chairperson before founding the rival Congress of the People party, has died after a period of illness. He was imprisoned on Robben Island during apartheid and broke from the ANC in 2008 over corruption concerns.
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →
John Steenhuisen, leader of South Africa's Democratic Alliance and agriculture minister in the coalition government, announced he will step down at the party's April congress following multiple scandals including poor handling of foot-and-mouth disease, personal financial mismanagement, and controversy over the sacking of Environment Minister Dion George. His departure opens the way for successors including Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
17 February 2026 · The Namibian →
John Steenhuisen's decision to step down as Democratic Alliance leader follows revelations about his personal credit card debt and the controversial removal of environment minister Dion George. The incoming leader must navigate questions about race, the party's electoral strategy, and its relationship with the ANC government—while protecting the DA's core claim to integrity that distinguishes it from other parties.
5 February 2026 · The Namibian →