The local government election (LGE) will see a number of smaller parties contest for seats in municipalities and many of them are on the campaign trail in their targeted areas.
The party, Independent South African National Civic Organisation (ISANCO), which holds seats in a few municipalities in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, are contesting this election under the banner of the African Movement Congress (AMC).
AMC launched their election manifesto in Mthatha.
ISANCO and the AMC have joined hands.
ISANCO will deal with civil matters and the AMC will focus on the political side of things.
The AMC has Dr Zukile Luyenge as its mayoral candidate in the King Sabata Dalinyebo Municipality.
He says ISANCO is not a political movement but a civic organisation and ought to focus on issues that affect communities.
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— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 23, 2026
“It’s our agreement with the AMC, and Umsebenzi Workers’ Union and ISANCO, that to participate in elections we will use the name of the AMC as it is a structure that is political and fighting for state power. You have to be political in the beginning and understanding of the ideologies of the communities that we are serving. As a candidate of King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality, as an Executive Mayor, the AMC said all expertise that exist in ISANCO as well as Umsebenzi will be deployed in the political arena,” says Dr. Luyenge.
The AMC says its focus is on improving service delivery in communities while also fighting crime.
“Our promise to the community is that we want to embark on service delivery. We want to make it a point that service delivery is available to the people. We want to make a change in terms of the high rate or escalating rate of crime in OR Tambo,” says the AMC’s regional coordinator is Mandisi Ngxumza.
A new kid in the block, Phakama Eastern Cape, is also contesting the LGEs.
“We are committing to the people of this KSD that Phakama has resolved that let’s try prioritise five issues,” says Ngxumza.
Ngxumza says the first issue would be chasing away illegal immigrants and make sure that no illegal immigrants operate in the municipality.
“The second one is the issue of exorbitant electricity tariffs and the rates. We’ll make sure that we reduce those tariffs and also make sure that we support people with solar panels so that they can afford electricity. The third one: issue of unemployment, particularly for young people. We want to use the equitable share funds that we get from the government, not to do services but to plant it on the small businesses and other activities,” says the party’s mayoral candidate in the KSD local municipality, Phikolomzi Adonis.
Adonis says the fourth priority is the issue of crime and corruption.
“That one of corruption we are going to create a unit within six months like the Madlanga Commission. Everyone who knows that they’re committing crime must start to pack their bags,” adds Adonis.
He says the last issue will be the issue of infrastructure.
“The ailing infrastructure that was there, created by uTata uMatanzima. We are going to replace those, even improve the fire station infrastructure and all the potholes, sewer lines that are there that have been stuck for long. Those are the things we are going to do,” he says.
These two parties are contesting for seats in the KSD municipality against more than 20 other parties and independent candidates.
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