TSANTSBANE, Northern Cape — In a stunning political shift during the 2026 Local Government Elections, Rise Tsantsabane Communities (RTC) has toppled the African National Congress (ANC) to secure a majority in the Northern Cape municipality. Michael Mabilo, the founder of the grassroots movement, attributes this historic victory to community-focused strategies and a commitment to local economic justice.
According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) results dashboard, RTC assumed control of the municipality after 100% of the votes were counted. The movement secured 43.8% of the vote share, winning seven out of the 13 available council seats. This outright majority was achieved just nine months after the local movement was officially registered, catching many political observers by surprise.
A Grassroots Strategy Built on Volunteer Empowerment
The Tsantsabane municipality, often referred to locally by the town name Postmasburg, is geographically sandwiched between Upington and Kimberley. Despite its location, the area has faced significant socio-economic challenges.
In a recent interview discussing the movement’s origins and future, Mabilo explained that the rapid success of RTC was driven by a highly organized volunteer network.
“We made sure that we empowered our volunteers with more knowledge on the manner in which they engage with the community in terms of selling the product that is the RTC,” Mabilo stated. He noted that the rigorous induction and training process allowed volunteers to effectively communicate the movement’s message. Because the community was already facing severe local challenges, Mabilo added, it was easy to present RTC’s solutions as a “product that the community will be able to buy.”
Expansion Across the Northern Cape
While the initial focus was strictly on Tsantsabane, RTC’s influence has already begun to spread. The movement also secured two seats in the neighboring Kgatelopele municipality and won one seat at the district level in the ZF Mgcawu district.
Looking ahead, Mabilo confirmed that RTC is already in negotiations with other towns across the Northern Cape. Although some late approaches prevented the movement from registering in additional areas for the current local elections, the organization is laying the groundwork for broader participation in future provincial and national elections by engaging other community-based organizations.
Holding Mines Accountable for Local Employment
A central pillar of RTC’s platform is addressing the paradox of high youth unemployment in a region surrounded by approximately 40 mines. Mabilo criticized the previous administration for lacking the political will to enforce Social and Labour Plans (SLP), alleging that conflicts of interest played a role. He claimed that some previous municipal leaders had financial interests in the mining operations, which prevented the council from challenging the mines to honor their local employment commitments.
To rectify this, RTC plans to work hand-in-hand with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).
“For each and every company that applies for a mining right at the DMRE, there is a commitment… that when we open a mine within the boundary of a certain town, we will make sure that we employ the locals,” Mabilo explained. “If they don’t have skills, we will empower them with those skills.”
Mabilo emphasized that the new council’s role will be to build a healthy relationship with local mines and the DMRE to ensure that mining companies strictly deliver on the promises and commitments they made when their mining rights were initially granted.
