APC to contest 2026 LGE in 7 provinces

African People’s Convention (APC) President, Themba Godi says they will be contesting the local government elections (LGE) in 7 of the country’s nine provinces.

Speaking during the APC’s election campaign at Driehoek near Mahikeng, in the North West, Godi emphasised the party’s efforts to rebuild its base in the province. They will contest in four municipalities in the Bojanala and three in the Ngaka Modiri Molema districts, a quest to rebuild the APC’s presence in the North West local authorities, especially in rural and seemingly neglected areas.

Godi says the decision to contest in the selected municipalities is a strategic move.

The President of the African People’s Convention (APC) Themba Godi says his party has registered to contest the upcoming Local Government Elections at 58 municipalities in seven provinces. https://t.co/BI4FlovVYs https://t.co/5cIA0K9euf

— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 29, 2026

“We are contesting elections in seven provinces, minus the Western Cape and Northern Cape. Here in the North West, we are contesting the four municipalities in Bojanala, minus Kgetlheng and here in Ngaka Modiri Molema, we are contesting Ratlou, Mahikeng, as well as Ditsobotla. We have contested municipalities where we are sure that we are going to get councillors. Otherwise we could have contested everywhere and used anybody and everybody who said, I want to contest. So ours is a calculated strategy,” he says.

LGE 2026 | African People’s Convention (APC) president Temba Godi says it is a tradition of the party to visit neglected rural communities to make residents feel included in the country’s democratic process. https://t.co/pWuFOfdP9w

— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 11, 2026

The APC, like many others, will have to contend with the high expectations of desperate residents. Local residents are frustrated with political parties and only remember the community during their election campaigns.

“We don’t have schools. We don’t have social services. We don’t have anything at all. We live in our village is situated in a in a muddy area. So please, we need we need a party that’s going to come and bring a difference in our village, not only empty promises. So when I vote, I want to vote for change and difference in our village,” says a resident.

“Different parties come to our village. They make promises every five years. After they take our vote, they disappear. So we are tired. We’ve been voting. We’ve been voting, but no change is happening in our village. We don’t have water in the hook here. If if you can go outside there in the village, there’s no water. The electricity is gone every five years,” says another resident.

Although the APC is using the upcoming local government elections, to rebuild its structures in the North West – it remains to be seen, whether or not, it will be able to persuade the electorate, to vote for them in November.

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