The ANC's downward trend may be evident in the 2026 local government elections.
The poor attendance at the ANC January 8th birthday anniversary rally is another sign that the party is on the decline – and it’s of its own making because it has neglected the electorate.
The ANC, experts said, had failed to recognise the connection between the state’s inability to meet people’s expectations, including the party’s own promises, and declining voter turnout in elections.
This assessment by political analysts concerns the low attendance at the party’s 114th anniversary rally, held at Moruleng Stadium outside Rustenburg on Saturday.
They said that the poor organisation of the anniversary and the scorching sun added to the discontent of party members, who had endured the pain of empty promises over the last 30 years.
Expert on ANC’s January 8 Statement
Political analyst Goodenough Mashego told The Citizen that the ANC anniversary statements lacked vision, which has not changed since the party was unbanned.
Mashego said the latest statement failed to address the country’s conditions but was merely marching orders for ANC members, not the rest of South Africans, ahead of elections.
“The statement that President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered on Saturday did not speak to the general public but to the ANC.
“You can’t issue matching orders only to your members, especially during the election year.
“It needs to address voters, especially those who left the party for other parties. Instead, it was a nostalgic trip into history. I don’t think the statement was visionary,” Mashego said.
Ramaphosa promised the ANC would improve services through functional local government, rejuvenate economic growth, and ensure visible ANC renewal.
‘ANC is learning the hard way’
Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast, director of the Centre for Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), said the ANC is learning the hard way.
The party misjudged the impact of its long-standing ignorance of the electorate’s concerns regarding service delivery.
However, Breakfast said the ANC appreciates that change is necessary for it to be acceptable to the public.
There is a change of heart within the party to restore its dignity and trust from the electorate.
Breakfast alluded to the logistics and poor organisation of the event, but said the numbers no longer mattered because the ANC was in decline.
“Even if the ANC had full attendance at the stadium, these numbers no longer translate into votes.
“The bottom line is that the ANC does not appreciate the strong nexus between the lack of government service delivery and voter turnout in elections,” Breakfast said.
ANC to decline further ahead of municipal elections?
According to independent analyst Sandile Swana, the rally appeared to have been organised haphazardly.
The party seemed to have planned extensively, with multicultural groups scheduled to perform, but failed to check the likely attendance figures.
Swana also referred to the unstoppable ANC decline, which may be evident in the 2026 local government elections.
“The ANC has joined the league of smaller parties, of which it is a leader. It could be facing challenges from parties like uMkhonto weSizwe in places like Gauteng,” Swana said.
Swana said there is a clear signal of ANC decimation due to numerous negative developments surrounding the party since 2008, including the removal of Thabo Mbeki, the advent of the Zuma administration, corruption and inadequate service delivery.
The ANC had lost its parliamentary majority in the National Assembly, KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape and Gauteng, forcing it to cobble together a coalition of 10 political parties.
It was no longer in a position to implement its own programme without consulting the government of national unity partners, he said.
*This article was first published by The Citizen
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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.
