The ANC has set its sights on reforming local government. The party has acknowledged that its failures at local government level have adversely affected its support.

At least a quarter (25.6%) of ANC-led municipalities are dysfunctional and just under half (41%) have been identified as medium risk, according to data presented at the party's lekgotla, which was concluded on Tuesday.

This prompted the ANC to form a task team to lead its interventions at the municipal level to improve service delivery.

At the three-day lekgotla, local government issues, such as the provision of water and sanitation, were identified as contributory factors to the party's electoral decline. It lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in the 29 May elections.

The ANC is expected to start its interventions in the City of Johannesburg, where there is currently a leadership battle. Party president Cyril Ramaphosa has directed the party's National Executive Committee and Gauteng provincial leadership to sort out Johannesburg's leadership saga and service delivery crisis.

The ANC and ActionSA have called for the removal of the city's mayor, Al-Jama-ah's Kabelo Gwamanda. However, Gwamanda's party leader, Ganief Hendricks, wants Gwamanda to stay in the role until Christmas.

The ANC's Johannesburg region has strongly endorsed the city's MMC of finance, Dada Morero, for the mayoral post.

Morero, from the ANC, has...