'WE FAILED SA'

Mzansi's second-in-command Paul Mashatile says ANC must ruk hulle reg before elections

- HOPE NTANZI

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile says his party must confront its mistakes and improve the lives of South Africans ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

Speaking at the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture in Ekurhuleni on Monday, Mashatile said the ANC and its government at all levels, national, provincial and local, had not done enough to bring about meaningful change for citizens.

He stressed that the party must take accountability and work to fix its shortcomings.

Mashatile said: "Our point of departure, comrades, is that as the African National Congress, we have not done enough to improve the lives of South Africans. We must take accountability for this.