ANC local government election manifesto: promises and challenges

The manifesto outlines ten key promises, including providing reliable water and sanitation by upgrading infrastructure and reducing water losses, ensuring reliable electricity by improving distribution networks and reducing outages, and fixing roads and public spaces. It also addresses improving community safety through better lighting and law enforcement, cleaning up towns, fostering economic development by creating "investment-ready municipalities," and building sustainable human settlements. The party aims to tackle substance abuse and create livable cities with well-maintained public facilities.

The manifesto includes specific 100-day pledges, such as repairing streetlights and fixing potholes, and sets a numerical target for non-revenue water to fall below 30% in metropolitan municipalities. The ANC also states that every municipality must invest at least 8% of its asset value annually in infrastructure maintenance. Regarding coalitions, the ANC acknowledges the increase in hung councils and commits to written and publicly available coalition agreements that prioritize service delivery over narrow political interests.

While the manifesto is praised for its honesty and clear accountability timelines, particularly the 100-day pledges, its credi