MADIBENG, North West — During a critical voter registration weekend in the Madibeng municipality, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a stark warning to underperforming ANC ward councillors, identifying them as the primary drivers behind the collapse of local municipal services. Drawing a firm boundary on local governance failures, the party leader emphasized that corrupt and inactive representatives are actively eroding public trust in the party’s traditional community strongholds.
Addressing a grassroots crowd, Ramaphosa called for the removal of “lazy councillors” in favor of dynamic youth leadership. He stressed that ward councillors serve as the government’s most immediate point of contact with citizens, and their ongoing failures directly compromise the party’s standing. He noted that because local government is the closest administrative structure to the public, residents demand visible, tangible results from their elected officials.
This message resonated deeply with local residents grappling with severe water shortages and decaying infrastructure. One lifelong supporter, affiliated with the movement since 1994, expressed profound frustration, warning that the party is losing its base to a “corrupt cancer” despite the community’s unwavering historical voting record.
A major focus of the presidential visit was mobilizing young voters. Data from the Independent Electoral Commission indicates that while the North West province boasts over 1.8 million registered voters, thousands of eligible young adults have yet to fulfill their civic duty. Ramaphosa highlighted the visible enthusiasm among youth registrants as a positive indicator for upcoming voter turnout. He urged the younger generation to embrace their “historic responsibility” to energize the nation, lead change, and assume the mantle of leadership to propel the country forward.
However, the campaign itinerary faced a significant disruption at the royal palace in Bapong, where Ramaphosa encountered open hostility. A member of the royal family publicly confronted the President regarding a protracted, 12-year succession dispute that has created a severe governance vacuum in the mineral-rich area.
The tense exchange featured the royal representative accusing the leadership of deception, stating, “You have been lied to. You have been misled,” before demanding, “Get your hands off me.” The community leader detailed years of systemic neglect, noting that residents have been taken from pillar to post and subjected to three separate commissions whose findings remain deliberately suppressed by authorities who dislike the outcomes. Highlighting the region’s massive chrome and platinum deposits, the representative argued that entrenched government corruption is the sole reason this critical dispute remains unresolved.
Following the conclusion of the final voter registration weekend in the region, President Ramaphosa is scheduled to continue his grassroots mobilization efforts with a visit to eMalahleni in Mpumalanga on Sunday.
