VHEMBE DISTRICT, Limpopo — The Vhembe Independent Party (VIP) is gearing up for a strong performance in the upcoming November local government elections in Limpopo, banking on grassroots community support to overcome financial limitations against larger political rivals.
Composed largely of former independent candidates who contested the 2021 local government elections, the regional party has officially fielded candidates to contest 50 of the 127 wards in the Vhembe district. Their primary focus remains mobilizing voter support and addressing long-standing grievances across local communities.
Unlike major political organizations, the VIP relies heavily on self-funding and community-raised contributions for its election campaigns. Richard Mukhaninga, President of the VIP, acknowledged the financial hurdles but highlighted the strong grassroots backing the party enjoys.
“We contribute amongst ourselves; it comes from our own pockets,” Mukhaninga stated. He noted that while raising funds to compete with established political parties is difficult, local villagers have been highly helpful with logistics, movement, posters, and voter registration. “People on the ground already have the zeal to assist us because they know us from years ago as the real people working for them, and they feel the need to support us,” he added.
The party’s campaign platform is heavily centered on resolving critical service delivery failures, specifically water shortages and unemployment. VIP councilor candidates have vowed to prioritize these issues if elected.
Eliya Mungoma, a VIP candidate, emphasized the party’s commitment to job creation and local economic development. “We have a lot of projects that we want to bring to the people so that they can employ people,” Mungoma said, pointing out that there are numerous local resources in the area that can be utilized to drive meaningful economic activity.
Echoing this sentiment, fellow VIP candidate Fulufhedzani Siphugu highlighted the urgent need to fix local infrastructure. “We have dams that are not providing water to residents because there’s no service delivery,” Siphugu explained. “What we want to do as VIP is to bring service delivery to the people. We also want to create jobs because when roads are being built, that’s job creation. We are calling on people to vote VIP to see if it cannot bring change.”
The party’s message resonates with many local residents who report enduring years of inadequate service delivery. Community members have voiced pressing concerns, including the lack of a local school, which forces children to travel long distances without affordable transport. Residents also cited deteriorating road conditions and severe water struggles, noting that the old dam has failed them and urging authorities to build a new, reliable water source.
Youth unemployment remains a major challenge for the district, with locals stressing that job creation must be the priority for any other meaningful progress to follow.
Looking beyond the current electoral cycle, the Vhembe Independent Party has announced its long-term ambition to contest all wards in the Vhembe district in future elections, solidifying its commitment to regional representation and community-driven governance.
