ANC marks 114 years amid focus on January 8 message

As the ANC marks its 114th anniversary, all eyes are on the party’s upcoming January 8 statement, to be delivered in the North West this weekend.

Party leader Cyril Ramaphosa's address is expected to reflect on the year that was, while outlining the governing party’s priorities and political messaging going into 2026.

Political analyst Dr Ongama Mtimka says it's a significant event.

"In the democratic period, it has morphed into a precursor to the State of the Nation address."

With local government elections approaching in 2026, Mtimka says this year’s statement will focus on setting the party up for its local election campaign.

"One expects that the ANC is going to provide a lot more detail in terms of whether it can offer to South Africans, candidates at a ward level who are trustworthy, who meet some of the criteria that people have been wanting to see from ANC politicians."

Mtimka also expects we'll hear a lot of fighting talk and commitment around service delivery.

"It's [taking place] in a province that has seen a lot of problems, intractable problems, going as far back as 2011."

Mtimka's predictions are supported by comments made by ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi on 702 earlier this week, when she said the party's focus is not so much on talk but rather on service delivery interventions.

"We even have our local service delivery intervention teams, our local government team, our rapid response teams from Luthuli House - so the entire of Luthuli House is in the North West," she told host Ray White, adding that service delivery improvements had already begun in the province.

"We've already started going to places [in North West], where we see a pothole, we call the councillor, and they need to call their principal, the Mayor, on the spot," she says.

Mtimka says that despite internal divisions, corruption scandals and persistent service delivery challenges, the ANC has recorded some notable achievements over the years.

"If you look at the first 15 years in office, yes, there were a lot of failures, but there were a lot of things that were done that improved the lives of people on the ground. The massive electrification programme, the connection of people to water, the provision of housing and the upgrading of informal settlements."

To listen to Mtimka in conversation with 702/CapeTalk's Africa Melane, use the audio player below: