JOHANNESBURG - "This has been a catastrophic outcome for the ANC," says secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Speaking on the sidelines of the preliminary local government results on Saturday. Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya said that the IEC hope to have the final results on Sunday.
Mbalula said the interim results in the country's municipalities and metros are catastrophic for the liberation movement.
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Mbalula says while the party will not be making any hasty decisions, they will put the elections outcome to the national conference in 2027.
The ANC lost control of six of the country's eight metros. They have retained Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape and Mangaung in the Free State. uMkhonto weSizwe Party has retained eThekwini, while the Democratic Alliance has retained majority votes in Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.
Despite this, the ANC still has majority of the votes nationally, with more seats than votes in most metros. Mbalula says they are not in a hurry to have coalition talks. Instead, they are considering the option of being a 'principled' opposition party.
"In terms of what has happened to the ANC, we must never be comfortable about this particular space we are in," says Mbalula.
He says that the party knew the disaster that was coming.
"We knew that we had to put up a fight," he says. With the middle class having turned their back from the ANC, Mbalula says they have to reflect on that.
Mbalula has emphasised that all parties represent citizens in municipalities and metros despite their political affiliation and that services must continue.
Mbalula says the party will have an NEC meeting, after which they will announce a way forward for the party.