POLOKWANE, Limpopo — The ANC Limpopo manifesto launch at Peter Mokaba Stadium is officially underway, marking a strategic shift toward hyper-local governance as the province prepares for the upcoming November elections. Following the national rollout last Sunday, provincial leadership is now focused on translating broad party promises into actionable municipal solutions, a move championed by ANC provincial spokesperson Ernest Rachoene.
By mid-morning, the atmosphere in Polokwane was electric, with the grandstand of the older section of Peter Mokaba Stadium already at capacity. While the newer section of the venue undergoes scheduled post-winter maintenance, including pitch re-seeding, the massive turnout has seen supporters filling every available space, including the field itself. Organizers confirmed they are hosting upwards of 25,000 party members and supporters, alongside the formal public introduction of the party’s newly selected mayoral and councilor candidates.
Addressing the crowd, the event is headlined by a former president and deputy president of the country, Comrade Kgalema, who is tasked with contextualizing the national vision for the province. Rachoene emphasized that the core theme of the day is the “localization” of the manifesto.
“We want to talk straight to our local municipalities and the challenges that we find ourselves in as the organization,” Rachoene explained, signaling a direct response to grassroots frustrations regarding service delivery.
The localized agenda directly confronts Limpopo’s most persistent triad of challenges: water scarcity, deteriorating road networks, and unemployment. Rachoene provided a detailed account of the strides made by the ANC-led provincial government to mitigate these issues. In the water sector, bulk water service projects are actively underway, with contractors deployed on the ground in Marapong, across the Mopani district, and throughout all provincial districts.
Similarly, the provincial Department of Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure has reportedly upgraded more than 43 gravel roads to tar surfaces over the past two years, while simultaneously maintaining over 68 roads province-wide. In Polokwane, the province’s designated secondary city, municipal contractors are actively working to ensure all local routes remain drivable. Rachoene also noted deliberate, ongoing interventions to resolve sewage spillage issues across all local municipalities.
Despite these reported infrastructural gains, the political landscape remains highly contested. Rachoene acknowledged the presence of formidable political opponents, specifically noting the EFF’s efforts to entrench themselves in local communities through glaring statements and grassroots mobilization. However, he remained steadfast in his assertion that Limpopo continues to be the foundational home of the African National Congress.
The introduction of the mayoral candidates, initially selected two weeks prior, serves as a critical component of today’s proceedings. By putting local leadership faces to the localized manifesto, the ANC Limpopo aims to reassure voters that the party is not only aware of the self-built community water and road infrastructure witnessed in some areas, but is actively deploying state resources to render such community stopgaps unnecessary.
