POLOKWANE – Confident of securing an outright majority in Polokwane and ruling out any coalition, the ANC’s Peter Mokaba Region says it will anchor its next administration on dependable basic services and visible leadership.
Speaking ahead of the local government elections, ANC Regional Spokesperson Adolph Rapetswa pushed back against claims that the city is collapsing, describing Polokwane instead as a “city on the rise.”
“The ANC has not yet announced its mayoral candidate for the City of Polokwane, but let us provide clarity and indicate that Polokwane is a City on the Rise, with enormous potential to become a more efficient, inclusive and economically vibrant city,” Rapetswa said.
He pointed to the city’s recent rating as the third-best-performing municipality among South African metropolitan and secondary cities in performance rankings arguing that service delivery gaps should not be mistaken for collapse.
“While there might be some existing gaps in service delivery, these should not be confused with collapse. The city continues to benefit from development initiatives and infrastructure investment, including road projects and other developmental projects such as the construction of the Limpopo Central Academic Hospital,” he said.
At the heart of the ANC’s campaign in Polokwane is a three-point plan for the first 100 days that Rapetswa said would be non-negotiable.
“Our three non-negotiables will be reliable basic services. Water, sanitation, electricity, roads and waste management must remain at the centre of the municipal programme,” he said.
Second on the list is accelerated infrastructure development to match the city’s rapid growth, and third is accountability and responsiveness.
“Residents must know that when they approach their Municipality, their concerns are heard and acted upon,” Rapetswa said.
On how the party intends to fund its promises in a constrained fiscal environment, Rapetswa said the ANC would not make unfunded pledges. He said the focus would be on aligning priorities with the already adopted 2026/27 budget and the Integrated Development Plan.
“We do not make promises that we cannot fulfil. Polokwane has adopted the 2026/27 budget, through responsible financial management, continued expenditure control and the effective use of existing municipal resources,” he said.
“Our focus will be responsible financial management, strengthening revenue collection, protecting municipal revenue, reducing unnecessary losses and ensuring that capital expenditure translates into visible infrastructure and services.”
He added that the municipality would continue to leverage partnerships with provincial and national government, citing ongoing engagements with the Roads Agency Limpopo on collaborative infrastructure delivery.
On the question of coalitions, which have destabilised several hung municipalities in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the Peter Mokaba region was unequivocal.
Rapetswa also said the municipality has made tremendous progress under the leadership of Executive Mayor John Mpe, leaving no doubt that residents will vote for the ANC.
“Polokwane Municipality is expected to remain under the leadership of the ANC, with the ruling party confident of retaining the majority support required to govern and implement its programme of action,” Rapetswa said.
“Our focus is on securing a clear mandate from residents and continuing the work of building a city that responds to the needs and aspirations of its people.”
Rapetswa said voters should judge the ANC not on rhetoric, but on visible progress within a year.
“Judge us on whether we have accelerated service delivery, strengthened the reliability of basic services, advanced infrastructure projects and maintained Polokwane’s development trajectory. Most importantly, judge us on whether residents can see, experience and participate in the progress of their city,” he said.
He acknowledged that water security remains the biggest challenge as Polokwane expands, but said investment is already reducing the pressure.
“One of the most pressing challenges is ensuring infrastructure and basic services keep pace with the city’s growth, particularly water security. We must continue investing in water infrastructure, as we have done, and it has enormously reduced the challenges of water in the city,” he said.
For Rapetswa, the difference will be in leadership style, aligned to Polokwane’s Vision 2030 of becoming a Smart City.
“I believe leadership must be visible. The Mayor, Mayoral Committee, councillors and administration cannot govern only from offices. We must be present in communities, monitor projects on the ground, engage businesses and investors and regularly account to residents,” he said.
“Our commitment is that Polokwane will continue moving forward, and no community should be left behind as the city grows.”
The ANC’s mayoral contenders for Polokwane are incumbent mayor Mpe and National Executive Committee member and MP Soviet Lekganyane.