ANC vows free basic services for 30 million, but fiscal reality raises doubts

In its manifesto for the 2026 local government elections, the African National Congress pledges to deliver free water, electricity, sanitation and garbage collection to almost 30 million South Africans without queues or paperwork. The proposal is framed as a populist appeal to voters tired of service failures, yet the National Treasury’s 2026 budget already allocates nearly two-thirds of non-interest spending to the “social wage,” supporting 26.5 million grant recipients, 13.6 million schoolchildren and health care for over 84 percent of the population.

With a projected primary surplus of 2.3 percent and aims to shrink the budget shortfall and stabilise debt, adding universal free services would strain finances. Political scientist Ken Opalo notes the ANC has lost its liberation-era halo, and voters now judge parties on policy credibility amid municipal collapse and coalition politics. The analysis suggests the promise is more campaign rhetoric than a sustainable fiscal plan.