The African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday rejected what it termed “manipulative opinion polls”, which it said are designed to sow doubt about the movement’s strength and relevance.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula was addressing the media when he said the ANC remained the central and stabilising force in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

A recent Democratic Alliance (DA) poll said the ANC’s electoral support had fallen below 30% ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Mbalula dismissed the poll, claiming that many were funded by neo-liberal think tanks and DA-aligned interests to project a manufactured narrative of ANC decline.

He noted recent by-election victories, which he said strengthened branch activism and renewed grassroots confidence and affirmed that the ANC remained the “most trusted and relevant political organisation” in the country.

He acknowledged that the biggest challenges faced by the ANC in terms of the country’s citizenry was the decline of participation in the democratic processes.

“We will continue to review structural arrangements to ensure stability and sharpen the focus on service delivery. The ANC is not a spectator, it leads. We respect the will of the people and the GNU is one such defining tactical intervention that reflects the outcome of the elections in 2024,” he said.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Meanwhile, the ANC has called on all South Africans, particularly workers, the unemployed, women, youth, and the “economically excluded”, to actively participate in the National Dialogue.

Earlier this month, seven prominent legacy foundations withdrew from the National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team, calling for a postponement of the National Dialogue to allow for adequate preparation, coherence and participatory integrity, citing violations of the Dialogue’s core principles.

The Solidarity Movement and its affiliates also announced their withdrawal, attributing the decision to its belief that the National Dialogue had been “hijacked” by the ANC.

Some opposition parties also opted not to participate.

Mbalula affirmed the ANC’s support of the National Dialogue and asserted that it was a people-driven initiative.

“The National Dialogue is not a once-off event nor an ANC-driven programme. It is a citizen-led process designed to build a new social compact in line with the aspirations of the people and rooted firmly in the ideals of the Freedom Charter,” he said.