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Mbalula said people who wanted the ANC to collapse threatened the interests of the people. He said the ANC's death would be the death of the people of South Africa. He also said people from his party were being called refugees in Cape Town.

Mbalula said the problem was the person, not the party. He described an individual who gets a job, does not work and puts a hand in the till. He also said that being a councillor is very hard, and that being an MEC is easier because an MEC is far from the people.

He said the ANC-led government intervened so that Tongaat Hulett continues to operate and jobs are saved. He also said the government planned to cut the fuel levy from November 4 to reduce fuel costs and ease pressure on food prices. He cited finance minister Enoch Godongwana's medium-term budget policy statement.

Mbalula said the ANC is very confident that its councillor candidates in the area are loved by the people.Share

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo said the judgment on candidate lists has made the logistics for the municipal elections harder. The elections take place on 4 November.

Mamabolo said the coming week is a very big week. He said it could decide whether 24 months of IEC planning succeeds or fails.Share

Hlabisa said coalitions fail when the wrong people lead them. He said mature leadership sustains coalitions, ensures stability and takes decisions that speed up service delivery.

He said failing coalition governments across South Africa have weakened service delivery. He called uMhlathuze a typical example that the IFP will use as a model case. In his words: "If you deploy matured people in a coalition government they can sustain coalition".Share

Zungula spoke to residents and party supporters at the Orlando Community Hall. He accused the City of Johannesburg leadership of causing the metro's problems on purpose. He said the aim was to enrich corrupt officials and their associates.

Zungula claimed that around 10% of the city's R97 billion budget was lost to corruption. He also said water mafias are paid to vandalise water infrastructure so that tankers are needed. He criticised the board of Johannesburg Water and said the metro police lack fuel for patrol vehicles.

On spaza shops, he said: "Once we are in charge of Johannesburg, if you invite us in the morning at 10:00, by 17:00, all spazas that are not complying will be closed," He claimed most spaza shops break the rules. He said the city's leaders did nothing after children in Naledi died from eating snacks from unlicensed shops.

Zungula claimed the CBD's hijacked buildings hold forced prostitution rings. He said the factories closed because of imported products and a lack of political will. Local government elections take place on 4 November.Share

The visit was a joint oversight visit. The Home Affairs Portfolio Committee, the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Portfolio Committee and the Select Committee on Security and Justice took part.

COGTA Committee chairperson Mosa Chabane stressed the importance of recruiting electoral officials. He said the IEC will deliver free and fair elections and will deal with any problems that arise.

Chabane said: "We are confident that they will deliver free and fair elections, there may be issues that will arise but in the process the IEC will mitigate those issues"Share

The ANC will not let regional structures lead coalition negotiations, as happened in the past, sources said. The new approach follows a framework document drawn up after the 2024 national elections.

Polls and surveys suggest no party will win an overwhelming majority in eight metros. An NEC member said the party has not officially started talking about coalitions.

An ANC source said the Gauteng leadership leans towards keeping the current set-up, with minority parties including the EFF but not the DA. The source said the party prefers to keep its current partners in Johannesburg and Tshwane because those arrangements work well. Sources in the ANC and the DA said the DA wants to work with the ANC for stability in all three spheres of government.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the mayoral issue rests with the national officials, not the region. He said the region has submitted names and the process uses a shortlist.Share