ANC at war with itself: Insiders fear factional battles could cost party votes

ANC insiders are worried that their party could lose the 2026 local government elections due to internal battles and factions.

The ANC is at war with itself ahead of the November 4 local government elections, with insiders warning that deepening factional battles and bitter candidat e disputes could further fracture the party and cost it crucial votes at the ballot box.

ANC insiders have told IOL they are deeply concerned that unresolved internal disputes will further divide branches, weaken campaigning and drive frustrated members away at precisely the moment the party needs unity.

The growing fear inside the ANC is that the party could lose the election battle from within if bitter factions continue fighting instead of mobilising voters.

An insider said: “These battles are costly, and this now shows that we have not learned anything from the previous elections.”

“Factions have actually cost from way back because the ANC has now turned into a party of positions and not for the people. We won’t survive if we go on like this”.

The warning comes as disputes over candidate selection continue to expose tensions between national, provincial and regional structures.

Candidate lists are among the most politically sensitive issues in the ANC because they determine who receives the party's endorsement.

At the centre of the latest storm is ANC NEC member Andile Lungisa’s legal challenge against secretary-general Fikile Mbalula over his removal from the party’s candidate list for Nelson Mandela Bay.

Lungisa alleged that Mbalula personally and unlawfully ordered his removal.

The dispute has added another explosive confrontation between senior ANC figures at a time when the party is under pressure to present a united front to voters.

A senior insider said it was embarrassing for senior members to be in court because of candidate lists.

“This is not showing any sign of a confident and united front ahead of the elections. It simply shows a dysfunctional party that is not ready to govern outright,” the senior said

In Johannesburg, another controversy erupted around a veteran and anti-apartheid activist Frank Chikane , who had been recommended as a mayoral candidate but was left off the final list submitted to the electoral authorities.