EKURHULENI, Gauteng — ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched a robust ANC election campaign in Ekurhuleni, urging residents to vote in large numbers to help the party reclaim a decisive majority in the metro. Speaking directly to community stakeholders in Daverton, Ramaphosa emphasized the critical need for stable, uncoalitioned leadership as the November 4 local government elections rapidly approach.
The Push for a Majority and Coalition Instability
The Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality has been a battleground since the 2021 local government elections resulted in a hung council. Out of 224 total seats, the ANC secured 86, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with 31 seats each. ActionSA took 15 seats, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) secured 8, while the IFP and ACDP took 2 seats each.
To regain an outright majority, the ANC needs to win 113 seats. The metro has experienced significant political turbulence, cycling through three to four mayors since 2021. Instability peaked earlier this year when the EFF withdrew from the coalition government following Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s decision to remove several EFF councilors from the executive.
Ramaphosa’s primary message to the electorate is clear: a vote for the ANC is a vote to end the instability of coalition governments and restore accountable, single-party leadership.
ANC Strategy and the MK Party Factor
Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member and head of elections, reinforced the President’s message on the ground. Ntuli argued that coalition governments have proven unstable and ineffective at responding to the daily challenges faced by residents. While acknowledging the ANC’s own historical challenges prior to 2021, Ntuli maintained that the current reality of fractured councils is far worse.
Addressing the broader electoral landscape, Ntuli dismissed concerns regarding the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s potential impact in the metro. Despite the MK Party’s significant showing in the 2024 national elections, Ntuli noted that local government dynamics are fundamentally different. He pointed to ongoing internal conflicts within the MK Party and expressed strong confidence in the ANC’s pool of experienced, community-grounded candidates.
Engaging the Taxi Industry and Community Stakeholders
A key focus of the campaign trail has been direct engagement with critical community stakeholders, including the taxi industry and faith-based organizations. During a closed session with taxi associations, including SANTACO, Ramaphosa and Mayor Xhakaza addressed pressing issues such as taxi violence, industry formalization, operating licenses, and integration with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
The President assured the taxi operators that the ANC recognizes the industry’s organic roots in the communities and is committed to formalizing and growing the sector to ensure safe, convenient transport for residents.
Tackling Gender-Based Violence and Safety Concerns
Safety and service delivery remain top concerns for Ekurhuleni residents, particularly following the tragic deaths of 11 women in the region. Community members have raised issues regarding broken traffic lights, non-functional street lights, and uncut grass in areas where victims were found.
Mayor Xhakaza outlined a comprehensive response, announcing that the municipality has localized the national Gender-Based Violence (GBV) strategy, which is set for council approval. The strategy leverages the taxi industry as critical street-level stakeholders in the fight against GBV.
Furthermore, the municipality’s social crime prevention unit is working alongside social workers in schools to identify early signs of abuse, such as unexplained bruises or children reporting domestic violence at home.
Addressing infrastructure and visibility, Xhakaza provided a detailed audit of the metro’s street lighting. Out of 196,000 street lights, 83,000 are currently operational. The municipality is actively tracking outages caused by vandalism and cable theft, while ensuring that public spaces are deliberately maintained and kept safe.
Major Infrastructure and Economic Projects
Looking toward the future, the ANC campaign highlighted massive infrastructure investments designed to boost the local economy and relieve the financial burden on residents. Mayor Xhakaza announced the Ekurhuleni Power Station, a 2,400-megawatt facility backed by renewable energy.
The project is expected to inject R16 billion into the local economy and create numerous jobs. For residents in communities such as Tsakane, Katlehong, and Daveyton, the intervention promises electricity savings of up to 31%. To illustrate the impact, Xhakaza noted that a household consuming 500 units of electricity, currently paying around R2,000, would see their bill reduced to R1,500, saving R500 a month.
The Road to November 4
With 69 political parties now contesting the local government elections—a massive increase from the 16 that were in the council previously—Mayor Xhakaza urged the electorate to vote responsibly. He called on residents to look past the noise of fractured coalitions and give the ANC the chance to complete the foundational work they have started, promising to return Ekurhuleni to its status as a top-tier metro with a clean audit and a thriving economy.
