African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has declared the ruling party “fully ready” for its highly anticipated National General Council (NGC), which gets under way on Monday at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
The four-day midterm summit – the fifth NGC since 1994 – is widely regarded as the most critical gathering for the ANC since its historic drop below 50% in the 2024 national elections. Delegates from across the country will review organisational performance, assess the leadership collective, and map the road toward the 2026 local government elections.
Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, Mbalula emphasised that the NGC forms the cornerstone of the ANC’s ongoing renewal project.
“This National General Council sits at the centre of the movement’s renewal project,” Mbalula stated. “It comes at a time when the ANC has taken bold steps to restore its integrity, rebuild organisational capacity, and reconnect with the communities we serve. The renewal agenda is already producing measurable outcomes – stabilised governance, improved performance in key institutions, and growing economic confidence.”
Key discussion documents expected to dominate proceedings include:
- Organisational renewal and branch revitalisation
- Leadership accountability and cadre deployment policy
- Economic reconstruction and job creation
- Coalition management in hung municipalities and provinces
- Preparations for the 2026 local government elections
With the ANC governing in national and provincial coalitions for the first time in the democratic era, the NGC is also expected to debate the successes and challenges of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and other coalition arrangements.
The gathering will run from 9–12 December 2025 under the theme: “Renewal, Unity and People-Centred Development.”