The African National Congress (ANC) has admitted it has fallen short in delivering quality services through its municipalities and pledged urgent action.

More than 4,000 ANC councillors gathered at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Monday to receive an action plan aimed at improving governance and restoring public trust. With 4,929 ward and PR councillors across the country, the party remains the largest in local government but faces criticism over poor performance in areas such as the Free State and North West.

Dickson Masemola, deputy chair of the ANC’s Local Government Intervention Committee, said: “We cannot continue to subject our people to inconsistent performances which does not resonate with the support and love the people have for the ANC.”

Measures include stricter oversight, financial penalties for failing municipalities, and capacity‐building programmes. The ANC stressed that citizens will judge them on delivery, promising that visible improvements will come before the 2026 local elections.