MADIBENG, North West — ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has drawn a definitive line against underperforming ANC ward councillors, identifying them as the primary cause of collapsed municipal services during a voter registration drive in the Madibeng municipality. Addressing supporters in the North West province, Ramaphosa delivered an uncompromising message from the party’s grassroots base, warning that corrupt local representatives are actively destroying public trust and eroding critical community strongholds.
“Away with lazy councillors. Forward with youth councillors,” Ramaphosa declared to cheering supporters. He acknowledged that failing local ward councillors, who serve as the state’s immediate contact point for citizens, are deeply compromising the party’s integrity. Emphasizing that local government is the closest government structure to the people, he noted that residents demand visible, tangible work from their elected officials.
This stern warning echoed the deep-seated anger of local residents, who highlighted crippling water shortages and crumbling infrastructure. One long-time community member and ANC supporter since 1994 voiced the frustration of the crowd, stating that the movement is losing its base due to a “corrupt cancer” within its ranks, despite their historical loyalty and consistent voting record.
Beyond addressing municipal failures, the President issued a firm rallying cry for young people to populate the voters’ roll. According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), there are currently over 1.8 million registered voters in the North West province alone, yet thousands of eligible youth have not yet fulfilled their civic duty. Ramaphosa expressed optimism about the enthusiasm shown by young registrants, noting that it signals a higher turnout in the upcoming elections.
“Young people have always led changes in our country, and we therefore call on young people today to lead that change once again,” Ramaphosa stated. He framed voter registration as a historic responsibility for the younger generation to energize the nation and assume the mantle of leadership to take the country forward.
However, the campaign trail encountered significant turbulence at the royal palace in Bapong. Ramaphosa was met with hostility when a member of the royal family publicly confronted him over an unresolved 12-year succession dispute that has left a governance vacuum in the mineral-rich community.
During the heated exchange, the royal family member challenged the President, stating, “You have been lied to. You have been misled,” and demanded, “Get your hands off me.” The community leader alleged years of neglect, noting that residents have been taken from pillar to post and subjected to three commissions whose findings remain unreleased because authorities dislike the outcomes.
“This land is blessed with, or rather cursed with, massive chrome and platinum deposits,” the royal member stated, attributing the government’s reluctance to resolve the dispute to the corruption rife within its ranks.
As the final voter registration weekend continues, President Ramaphosa is scheduled to head to eMalahleni in Mpumalanga on Sunday to continue the party’s grassroots mobilization efforts.
