Fikile Mbalula, Secretary General of the African National Congress, claims that the ANC remains the most trusted political party in South Africa. He wrote on the party’s website that the ANC continues to be the most relevant political organisation in the country.

According to Mbalula, the ANC, despite experiencing a nearly 30.0% drop in support over the last two decades and losing its national majority, is not simply a spectator in government. He maintains that the governing coalition is anchored in ANC-led policies and programmes and that the ANC is the central and stabilising force in the Government of National Unity.

“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,” Mbalula said. Recent polling by the Social Research Foundation (SRF) showed that 51.0% of all voters and 50.0% of ANC supporters believed the ANC controlled everything that matters in the government within the GNU. The findings highlight the party’s continued influence despite significant electoral setbacks.

Some senior ANC figures have recently cautioned that without genuine reform and visible improvements in government delivery, the party risks further losses in future elections. Through this lens, the ANC’s future may depend on its ability to deliver tangible results and restore trust among South African voters. As coalition politics reshape the country’s government, the party’s role as a stabilising force will be closely scrutinised.