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Download JOURNAL NEWS - 09 JANUARY 2026
By Abigail Visagie
The African National Congress (ANC)’s 114th anniversary celebrations at Moruleng Stadium in the North West drew tens of thousands of supporters, complete with music and political theatre — yet just beyond the stadium gates, crumbling roads, water shortages, and failing infrastructure laid bare the province’s deepening service delivery crisis.
Against this backdrop, President Cyril Ramaphosa used his address to emphasise the urgent need to strengthen local government and improve the provision of basic services.
“Local government is the sphere of government closest to the people and must fulfil its basic responsibilities,” Ramaphosa said.
He outlined priorities including road maintenance, refuse removal, sanitation and access to clean water. “Municipalities should fix potholes, remove refuse regularly, keep communities clean and green, and provide clean water and sanitation,” he said.
ANC members and supporters arrived in large numbers, many in striking attire, underscoring the significance of the occasion. However, travelling to the venue highlighted persistent service delivery challenges facing the area.
While the atmosphere inside the stadium was festive, the surrounding communities told a different story.
The North West province has long struggled with deteriorating infrastructure, particularly pothole-riddled roads — a problem so widespread the province has earned an unflattering reputation for poor road maintenance.
In many rural settlements, residents continue to endure years of inadequate service delivery, with failing infrastructure and recurring water shortages.
Ramaphosa also called for increased funding for infrastructure maintenance and urged municipalities to develop in-house capacity. “Municipalities must build functional yellow fleets and employ skilled personnel to address water leaks, potholes, and power outages, and to deliver basic cleaning and greening services,” he added.
The president further announced that the Department of Electricity and Energy will connect 20 communities to the national grid each year, expanding access to clean and affordable electricity. In addition, North West has received R1.2 billion to improve access to water services.
“We call on municipalities to ensure proper project preparation, the use of skilled contractors and disciplined implementation so that these projects deliver real benefits to communities,” Ramaphosa said.
By: Lerato Mutlanyane
Commanding dancefloors in the vibrant town of Pampierstad, Northern Cape, 25-year-old Tebo Oreboleng Morongwa—better known as TeboM—aims to make her mark on the music scene every time she steps onto the DJ booth. At first glance, the energy shifts. Her deep house sets take listeners on a carefully curated journey of rhythm and melody. Trained at the legendary Soul Candi Studios in Pretoria in 2023 under music maestro Nizhe de Soul, TeboM is now carving her own path, determined to become a role model for aspiring DJs and prove that decks have no gender. “As female DJs, we are often underestimated. Many believe we lack skill, we are underrepresented in lineups, face unfair bookings, miss out on mentorship, and are often objectified rather than respected for our craft,” she shared. “I always knew I wanted to be in the media space, so music—or rather deejaying—found me. Gigs and proper management have been a challenge, but I’ve always been a go-getter. That mentality is why giving up is never an option for me,” she added. More than a selector, TeboM is a curator of moments. Follow her journey as she continues to redefine the Northern Cape soundscape, one unforgettable set at a time.
By Abigail Visagie
What began as a vibrant community celebration at the annual Mphebatho Troop Festival at Dertig Sports Ground near Mathibestad in the North West province turned tragic when a lightning strike injured several troopers and claimed two lives. On 3 January 2026, the Mphebatho Troop Festival hosted its annual event, held in honour of Sesotho culture in South Africa, promoting unity, celebration and camaraderie between the two countries. The festivities featured performances by local music groups and were attended by several dignitaries, including royalty. During the event, while troopers were seated under a tent, two lightning strikes occurred. Peter Selemela, a survivor and trooper from Sun Rise who participated in the festivities, said a sudden downpour accompanied by lightning caught them off guard. According to Selemela, the first strike was distant, but the second hit the tent directly, leaving people shocked and immobile. “Seconds later, people were on the floor. I couldn’t move as my left hand suddenly became numb. I noticed another trooper’s legs had stopped functioning, so I crawled towards him and pulled him closer to the tent,” he said. Selemela added that emergency services eventually assisted them at the Mphebatho Library. The North West Department of Health confirmed that 150 patients were taken to the Mathibestad Clinic. Thirteen were critically injured and transferred to Jubilee Hospital, while two patients were declared dead on arrival and awaited forensic services. Most patients sustained mild lightning-related burns, with 34 still awaiting medical assessment at the time of reporting. The remaining patients were treated and discharged. North West Health MEC Sello Lehari said he was pleased that Mathibestad Community Health Centre was fully operational during the tragedy. He confirmed that both day and night staff were on duty. “The health professionals on site included two doctors, four professional nurses and three enrolled nurses, bringing the total staff complement to nine,” said Lehari. “EMS support was strengthened through the deployment of two North West EMS ambulances, two Gauteng EMS ambulances and Planned Patient Transport.” Speaking on behalf of Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, Social Development MEC Sussana Dantjie conveyed condolences to the affected families and confirmed that the festival would continue next year. “We expect all stakeholders to work together to ensure the smooth hosting of the next festival,” she said. Dantjie acknowledged concerns from some attendees who believe the fatalities could have been prevented with quicker emergency response, but noted that “death ultimately remains in the hands of God”. Moretele Local Municipality Mayor George Manyike visited the Mashishi family in Lefatlheng, who lost their daughter Kenoshi (35), a teacher at Tlhaloganyo Primary School and a mother to a 10-year-old son. He also visited the Shekwambane family in Itsoseng Section, Dertig, Ward 18, who lost their daughter Koketso (28).
By: JN Report
Warning to councillors and party deployees to deliver on promises or face consequences
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has issued a blunt warning to party deployees, telling underperforming cadres to “shape up or ship out” as the governing party steps up efforts to woo voter support ahead of this year’s local government elections. Mbalula on Tuesday led ANC volunteers on a door-todoor mobilisation drive in Ward 25 in the Bojanala region of the North West, as part of preparations for the party’s January 8 anniversary rally. The ANC is marking 114 years since its establishment, with this year’s celebrations taking place in Rustenburg. Festivities will culminate in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s January 8 Statement at Moruleng Stadium outside Rustenburg on Saturday, where he is expected to outline the party’s priorities for the year ahead. During his engagement with residents of Monakoto village, Mbalula assured the community that the ANC’s local government action plan would be implemented and that party deployees would be held accountable for addressing service delivery concerns. “I am glad that the councillor and the mayor are here. When I come back, I don’t want to hear the repetition of the same problems. I want a report back,” said Mbalula. “Our local government action plan says we must fix problems in local areas. If things are not fixed, then we are going to fix you, the mayor.” He stressed that councillors have a responsibility to ensure services are delivered consistently and effectively. “They must be present in communities and deliver on what they promise — not speak big English, but be on the ground and resolve service delivery challenges,” Mbalula said. “We are here to listen to our communities and assess whether our deployees, especially councillors, are doing the work the ANC sent them to do. Leaders who are unknown to their communities and out of touch cannot be tolerated.” Since the start of the week, ANC national and provincial leadership have been undertaking various outreach activities across the North West province as part of the anniversary programme. The annual January 8 Statement traditionally sets the tone for the ANC’s agenda for the year, reflecting on challenges facing the party and outlining planned interventions under a chosen theme. ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the party’s focus was on tangible service delivery rather than rhetoric. “We have local service delivery intervention teams, local government teams and rapid response teams from Luthuli House on the ground — the entire Luthuli House is in the North West,” Bhengu said. She added that service delivery interventions had already begun. “Where we see a pothole, we immediately call the councillor, who must then contact their principal, the mayor, on the spot.
By: Abigail Visagie
CENTLEC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Malefane Sekoboto’s recent contract extension has come under scrutiny, with concerns raised about the decision-making process, transparency and compliance with procurement and governance regulations. The move has prompted renewed calls for accountability at the Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM). The controversy follows accusations by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Free State that the municipality undermined transparency and limited public access by using closed December council meetings to push through questionable decisions, including the extension of Sekoboto’s contract until 31 March 2026. Sekoboto’s term was due to end on 31 December 2025. However, DA councillor Dirk Kotze said the contract was extended during a virtual meeting without adherence to the necessary legislative requirements, exposing the municipality to governance, audit and legal risks. “The DA opted not to participate in the vote regarding a three-month extension of the CENTLEC CEO’s contract,” said Kotze. “We warned that this decision violates legal requirements and exposes the municipality to serious governance, audit and legal risks. We condemn the Executive Mayor, Gregory Nthatisi, and the Speaker, Lawrence Mathae, for misusing closed council meetings to push questionable decisions, limit public access and undermine transparency.” Kotze further argued that the extension was unlawful. “According to the Municipal Systems Act, CEOs of municipal entities must be employed on fixed-term contracts. Once such a contract expires, the position must be declared vacant and an acting CEO legally appointed. Extending an expired contract circumvents safeguards designed to prevent the recycling of senior management contracts,” he said. In contrast, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy chairperson in the Free State, Thomas Macingwane, dismissed the DA’s claims and urged residents to question the party’s credibility, accusing it of inconsistency and disowning its own decisions. Macingwane said council had resolved to extend the contract by three months to allow the recruitment process to continue, adding that closed council meetings are standard practice for senior management appointments. He argued that such procedures protect councillors from pressure by disgruntled or unsuccessful candidates. “On the issue of the extension, council resolved before recess that the CENTLEC board should advise council on the expiry of the CEO’s five-year contract. The DA had no issue with that decision at the time, but because they are inconsistent and have their own preferences for who should be CEO, they launched a campaign against this CEO from the beginning of the financial year,” said Macingwane. Macingwane’s claims were supported by Mangaung Metro acting spokesperson Nicolette Maysiels, who confirmed that council had approved the relevant reports, albeit with some amendments. Maysiels told Journal News that council met on 15 December to correct the composition of the interim board and resolved to extend its term as an acting board for a period not exceeding three months. “On 22 December 2025, the interim board then met to consider the position of the CEO and the related human resources processes,” she said. According to Maysiels, the meeting passed several resolutions, including the extension of the CEO’s employment contract for a further three months, in line with clause 17.3 of Sekoboto’s employment contract.
