Who leads the ATM, and what does it want to do?
The basic facts, then its main plans for 2026 in its own words.
- Leader
- Caesar Nongqunga
- Founded
- 2018
- On the ballot in
- 212 of 257 councils, including the 8 metros
- Name on the ballot
- AFRICAN TRANSFORMATION MOVEMENT
Its main plans for 2026
The ATM calls itself "a Social Democratic Peace Party" and "a faith-based political party underpinned by divine values". Social democratic means it wants the state to help build a fairer society. Its mission is "to build a modern, inclusive, and socially just economy that combats corruption". For 2026 it promises to "restore integrity in local government", according to a post on its official X account. Its president, Caesar Nongqunga, said its candidates would put water supply first. Next would come infrastructure (the pipes, roads and other systems a (Council The group of elected people who make decisions for a municipality. They pass its budget and choose the mayor.) runs) and the ability to repair and maintain it.
Our summary of "[ATM MANIFESTO] 1. CORRUPTION-FREE AND ACCOUNTABLE MUNICIPALITIES". Party material shows what was promised, not what was delivered.
Pick what matters to you and see which parties promised it, with a link to where it said so.
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What does the ATM promise in 2026?
Its 2026 promises in short, and the claims we checked. The full wording is on the sources page.
What we checked (0)
No checks yet. We are still checking claims.
What it promises
Core servicesNone found
- WaterNo 2026 promise found.
- Electricity and power cutsNo 2026 promise found.
- RubbishNo 2026 promise found.
- Toilets and sewageNo 2026 promise found.
- RoadsNo 2026 promise found.
Housing and landNone found
- Building housesNo 2026 promise found.
- Informal settlementsNo 2026 promise found.
- Title deedsNo 2026 promise found.
Safety and jobsNone found
- CrimeNo 2026 promise found.
- Metro policeNo 2026 promise found.
- Local jobsNo 2026 promise found.
- Business and growthNo 2026 promise found.
Governance and money1 promise
- CorruptionRestore (Council The group of elected people who make decisions for a municipality. They pass its budget and choose the mayor.) integrity and spend every rand openly on services and communities.
- Audit resultsNo 2026 promise found.
- Wasteful spendingNo 2026 promise found.
- CoalitionsNo 2026 promise found.
- BudgetsNo 2026 promise found.
Claims it made about other parties
No checked claims yet.
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Where does the ATM govern?
The 8 (Metro A big city with one council for the whole city, such as Johannesburg or Cape Town. There are 8. Voters there get 2 ballot papers.), and the ATM's role in each as of 18 October 2026. (Seat A place on the council, held by one councillor. A party with more votes gets more of these places.) are from the 2021 election.
Runs or leads the council
1 of 8 metrosHas seats, but not in charge
1 of 8 metrosWon no seats in 2021
2 of 8 metrosNot clear from our sources
4 of 8 metrosOther councils it runs or leads3 named in our sources
- KwaDukuza (KZN): IOL reported in July 2025 that the ANC, with 29 of 59 seats, runs the (Council The group of elected people who make decisions for a municipality. They pass its budget and choose the mayor.) in a (Coalition Parties that agree to run a council together, usually because none has more than half the seats alone. Together they choose the mayor.) with the ATM. The ATM has one seat. We found no ATM member there as (Mayor The leader of the municipality. Councillors choose this person, not voters. So the seats each party wins decide who can lead.), deputy mayor, speaker (the (Councillor A person elected to make decisions for a municipality, such as the budget and who the mayor is. Each one holds one seat.) who runs council meetings) or MMC (a member of the mayor's team).
- Mogale City (Gauteng): the ATM's Danny Thupane was executive mayor from April 2023. He resigned in October 2024. The current mayor is Lucky Sele. We found no ATM post there in 2025-2026.
- Metsimaholo (Free State): in August 2023 the ATM put forward the AIC's Jack Malindi for mayor. No one stood against him, so he was elected. The ATM has no post on the mayoral committee (the mayor's team) named that month.
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Who funds the ATM?
The ATM told the (IEC The Electoral Commission of South Africa. It runs elections. It is independent, so it does not take orders from the government or any party.) about no donations above the disclosure limit, from July 2025 to June 2026. Checked 20 October 2026.
Before this, it last declared R120 000 in January to March 2024 (1 donation). IEC report, January to March 2024
Money in 2024/25
April 2024 to March 2025, from the IEC's yearly report.
Gifts and fees
- Gifts over R100 000 from one donor, named in the reports
- None shown
- Smaller gifts, R100 000 or less from one donor (names not published)
- R266 246
- Membership fees and levies
- R1 134 119
Public money (not donations)
- From the Political Representatives Fund
- R8 036 759
- From Parliament and provincial legislatures
- R5 757 227
How the limit worksWhich donations parties must declare
(Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.) must declare some donations. This applies when one donor gives them more than R200 000 in total in a financial year. A financial year runs from April to March. The limit used to be R100 000. The President raised it in Proclamation Notice R. 275 of 2025. This was published in the Government Gazette on 18 August 2025. So the July to September 2025 report uses R100 000 for donations before that date. A smaller donation is declared once the donor's total for the year passes the limit. The IEC says the Political Funding Act covers each (Registered Your name is on the voters' roll. Registration for this election closed on 7 August 2026.) party, even one with no (Seat A place on the council, held by one councillor. A party with more votes gets more of these places.) in (Parliament South Africa's national law-makers, in Cape Town. It has two parts, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.) or a provincial legislature. So the IEC's reports cover each party listed here. Smaller gifts, membership fees and public money are not in these reports. So no rows means no donor passed the limit in these reports. It does not mean the party got no money. The IEC's yearly report shows each party's total of smaller gifts, without names. These are the donations the party told the IEC about, as the IEC published them. We do not compare parties. Checked 20 October 2026.
All funders in the IEC reports →
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What links does the ATM have abroad?
(Council The group of elected people who make decisions for a municipality. They pass its budget and choose the mayor.) don't decide foreign policy. Here is who abroad the ATM is linked to through money, gifts, trips or networks, and what each link is.
What it has said about the world
Councils don't decide this. But it shows how the (Party A group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.) wants South Africa to deal with other countries. Each topic starts with what its record shows: how it voted, what it did and what it said.
Israel, Palestine and the Middle EastBoth ATM MPs voted in 2023 to ask the government to close Israel's embassy and cut ties. Its leader said South Africa cannot accuse Israel of war crimes and still keep normal ties with it. We found no ATM statement on South Africa's ICJ case.2 quotes
“AYES – 248: (ANC – 200; EFF – 43; ATM – 2; NFP – 1; PAC – 1; Al’Jama-ah – 1). NOES – 91: (DA – 67; IFP – 11; FF Plus – 9; ACDP – 4).”
Vote in Parliament, 21 November 2023
(Parliament South Africa's national law-makers, in Cape Town. It has two parts, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.) voted on asking the government to close Israel's (Embassy A country's main office in another country. It speaks for its own government there.) and cut ties until a ceasefire. Both ATM (MP (Member of Parliament) A person who sits in Parliament, which makes South Africa's laws. They are not chosen in this local election.) voted yes. The motion passed, 248 votes to 91.
“We cannot as a country refer Israel to the ICC for investigation for what we believe is war crimes and genocide. Yet, on the other side maintain normal relations with Israel.”
In Parliament, 16 November 2023
Vuyo Zungula, the ATM leader, spoke in Parliament's debate on closing Israel's embassy. He said South Africa cannot ask the International Criminal Court to look into Israel and still keep normal ties. He asked Parliament to close the embassy and suspend all ties.
Russia and UkraineIts own words, with when and whereNone found
We found nothing. Checked 27 October 2026.
China and TaiwanIts own words, with when and whereNone found
We found nothing. Checked 27 October 2026.
The United StatesThe ATM says the US stopped aid because South Africa is giving back land taken from people in the past. It wants South Africa to trade more with others, such as BRICS countries, and rely less on the US.2 quotes
“We must aggressively expand our trade relationships beyond the USA market.”
In Parliament, 6 March 2025
Vuyo Zungula, the ATM leader, said this in a debate in Parliament. The debate was about the US decision to stop its aid money to South Africa. He says the US did this because South Africa is giving land back to people who lost it. He warns that the US may act against trade next. So he wants South Africa to sell more to other African countries and the BRICS group, and rely less on the US.
“We call for constructive dialogue that acknowledges the rights of individuals to their ancestral lands and emphasises the importance of addressing the legacies of colonialism and apartheid.”
Party statement, 8 February 2025
The ATM said this in a statement, IOL reported. It was answering US President Donald Trump's order to punish South Africa, which named South Africa's new land law. The ATM says Trump was given wrong information about this law. It says giving back land is about the dignity of people who were forced off it. It wants talks with the US, but does not say what our government should do.
Other countries and groupsThe ATM says the US captured Venezuela's president to take control of its oil. It says the BRICS group "is open for business" as a trade partner for South Africa.2 statements
Party statement, 8 January 2026
Vuyo Zungula, the ATM leader, spoke after the US captured Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro, EWN reported. The ATM says the US used claims of crime as an excuse to take control of Venezuela's oil. Zungula says this was a plan to change who runs the country. He warns that strong countries now use weak ones that cannot defend themselves. Our source does not say what the ATM wants South Africa to do.
“Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Brics, alliance is open for business.”
In Parliament, 6 March 2025
Vuyo Zungula, the ATM leader, said this in a Parliament debate about the US stopping aid to South Africa. BRICS is a group of countries that work together on trade, and South Africa is a member. He means South Africa can sell its goods to these partners instead of relying on the US. He says the US wants Africa to depend on its approval. He wants the BRICS countries to become bigger trade partners for South Africa.
Every trip and gift from abroad
MPs must list gifts, trips and sponsorships that others pay for in (Register of Members' Interests Parliament's public list where each MP must write down gifts, trips, paid work and shares, and who gave them. Anyone can read it.). 2 ATM MPs listed 31, linked to 5 countries.
Ghana5 entries · 1 MP- A conference trip paid by Afrodad, costs listed as 43 800,00 with no currency.
- A trip to an AFRIPAR conference in Ghana, paid by AFRIPAR.
Zimbabwe4 entries · 2 MPs- A trip to a church women's conference, paid by Twelves Apostles Church in Christ.
- A trip to a regional conference, paid by APNIFFT.
Cote d'Ivoire3 entries · 1 MP- A conference trip paid by AYPN, costs listed as 47 493,00 with no currency.
Kenya3 entries · 1 MP- A conference trip paid by Yiagra Africa, costs listed as 25 300,00 with no currency.
Ethiopia2 entries · 1 MP- A trip to the Africa Young Parliamentarians Network Conference, paid by the network.
Plus 14 entries that do not name a country. Some trips are listed in two years' registers.
See all 31 entries (opens in a new tab)
Checked 27 October 2026. Sourced, not yet reviewed. We show only facts on record and each party's own words. We do not compare parties.
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