African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced on Wednesday the party’s provincial task team for Gauteng, led by province’s Provincial Convenor Amos Masondo.

Following the electoral losses suffered by the ANC in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal during last year’s general elections, the party called for leadership in those provinces to be reconstituted, in terms of the framework of its constitution.

The party highlighted that the intervention, aligned with the party’s constitution, was part of a broader strategy to rebuild the movement and prepare for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Mbalula announced Panyaza Lesufi as Co-Provincial Convenor; Ntombi Mekgwe as Deputy Provincial Convenor; Hope Papo as Provincial Coordinator; Nomantu Ralehoko-Nkomo as Provincial Deputy Coordinator and Tasneem Motara as Provincial Fundraiser.

“…this intervention seeks to strengthen the ANC’s capacity in the province, deepen its connection with communities and key sectors of society,” Mbalula said.

He said Gauteng remains a vital political battleground, where the ANC needs to consolidate its leadership to advance transformation.

Mbalula noted that the decision to reconfigure Gauteng was not taken as a punitive measure after losses in last year’s elections, rather, he said it was a response to the need to ensure the ANC’s organisational effectiveness in the country’s most popular and economically significant province.

He pointed out that the 41% national vote outcome in the 2024 general elections was “heavily” influenced by results in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, which he said made the two provinces central to the party’s overall renewal and recovery strategy.

He said the immediate task in Gauteng was to rebuild branches, leagues and structures so that the party was actively engaged in local development and responsive to the needs of the people. 

Mbalula noted that the ANC’s brand and communications must be strengthened to reaffirm the organisation’s leadership role in the province.

“Ethical leadership and discipline will be prioritised to address corruption, construction and human settlement extortions, crime, deepening economic transformation that benefits our people and gender-based violence,” he said.

On Tuesday, the ANC announced its top 6 for KwaZulu-Natal.