Ramaphosa: ANC focused on municipalities as SA heads to polls
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that the party is focused on improving municipalities through its Local Government Action Plan.
Speaking at the ANC’s 114th birthday celebrations during the Moses and Rebecca Kotane wreath-laying ceremony in North West on Thursday, Ramaphosa said that the government's Operation Vulindlela has entered a second phase, targeting municipal challenges to drive transformation at a grassroots level.
“We have started at the ANC to focus more on local government. So all these matters and challenges are being addressed, and we are addressing them in a focused way. And the local government elections are going to give us an opportunity to truly transform local government.”
Ramaphosa added that transforming South Africa would never be a one-day event, but rather a generational process.
He said 347 years of colonialism and apartheid destroyed the country’s fortunes.
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While acknowledging ongoing poverty and unemployment, the president said progress is being made, particularly in education, with expanded access and increased funding.
“In 30 years, we will not be able to reverse that history completely, but a real attempt is being made, changing the lives of our people. And in many ways, the efforts that we are making are beginning to show progress.”
Meanwhile, ANC Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane earlier stressed that the SACP remains part of the ANC agenda.
Speaking on the sidelines of the party’s 114th birthday celebrations in Phela, North West, Mokonyane said the ANC remains committed to the historic alliance despite the SACP contesting the local government elections separately.
She stressed that unity is vital as the ANC faces challenges, adding that communists have traditionally helped guide and rebuild the movement.
