ANC mayoral candidates are set to hold one week study at the party's school of governance led by its principal, former Gauteng premier David Makhura.

The study leave is aimed at equipping the potential mayors on how to conduct themselves in media interviews, reading financial statements, ethical leadership, governance systems and service delivery imperatives.

A source said the course was not intended to teach but rather, instil party values in them.

"We are basically going to be teaching them how to behave, respond to issues, read financial statements and reports. People like Amos Masondo and Sputla Ramokgopa were taught these things and they did well during their tenure as mayors.

"When we stopped those training programmes, we saw a deterioration. People need to be trained to understand the role of being a mayor and what it is one ought to do so that there is good governance."

The source said the party would not tolerate non-performance from mayors who would form part of the next government and that the ANC would move quickly to remove those slagging.

"Part of the reason they are doing this training is to ensure that they are able to understand what the party needs from them and if they can't keep up, they will have to be removed," the source said.

Another source said that about two weeks ago, the party held a local government workshop with councillors and mayoral candidates from across the country. "Everybody was there and we discussed the issues around elections."

Responding to questions by the Mail & Guardian, the party's acting national spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli said that as part of its long-standing commitment to building a capable and ethical public representative cadre, the ANC would take mayoral candidates through a structured political education and leadership development programme. 

Mhlauli said the programme would cover a range of areas essential to effective local government leadership, including stakeholder management, community engagement, media management and communication, understanding the constitutional mandate and responsibilities of municipalities, governance systems, service delivery imperatives, ethical leadership and the importance of building responsive and accountable municipalities that served communities.

She said the necessary logistical planning for the programme was under way and it was expected to take place within the next three weeks.

Asked whether that would also apply to councillors, MPLs, premiers and ministers, Mhlauli said the ANC had always placed a premium on political education, leadership development and preparing its public representatives to effectively discharge their responsibilities.

The training of public representatives was part of the ANC’s broader commitment to strengthening governance, improving accountability and ensuring that those entrusted with leadership positions understood the political responsibilities of the party and the constitutional obligations of public office.

"Similar programmes have historically formed part of the ANC’s political education and capacity-building initiatives and the organisation will continue to invest in developing councillors and public representatives at all spheres of government."

She said the party had undertaken a comprehensive and rigorous process to

identify mayoral candidates before the 2026 Local Government Elections. The process had considered a range of factors, including leadership capability, experience, community standing, commitment to the ANC’s value and the ability to advance the party’s programme of building capable, accountable and developmental local government.

"The ANC is confident that it will announce a slate of men and women who are ready, capable and committed to serving communities and strengthening local government."

She added that the ANC was taking the approach as part of “decisive action to fix local government”.