As coalition talks take centre stage this weekend, the African National Congress (ANC) has cancelled its extended national working committee (NWC) meeting and will instead hold a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting.

ANC leaders are set to meet to discuss its coalition strategy. The meeting was expected to take place on Friday, but a special NEC meeting has now been scheduled for Sunday.

NEC member Jeff Radebe is expected to head up the ANC's coalition talks team.

The NWC is expected to get an outline of the municipal election results and the various areas where the ANC should negotiate coalition agreements, ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte said.

There are 66 hung councils across the country after the municipal elections.

Gauteng's metros will be up for grabs with Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni all with no outright winner.

The other metros with no outright winner are eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay.

This weekend, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ANC will scramble to put together coalition agreements.

Political parties must come up with coalition agreements within 14 days of the declaration of the election results. 

ANC voter support plunged

The ANC suffered huge knocks in its support in various areas, with the party's elections head Fikile Mbalula saying there was a need for introspection.

He said the ANC was open to speaking to anyone, but no mandate had been given for the party to engage with the DA.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has ruled out working with the ANC.

Mbalula said the NWC will help the ANC come up with a mandate going forward on how to deal with coalitions.

"We will work with those who want to work with us, but we have no mandate at the present moment to talk and engage with the DA. We have been talking informally with a lot of political parties, but we have not started engagements with the DA. We will discuss and approve a mandate," he said on Thursday.