Ramaphosa declares 2026 the year of local government

President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted fixing local government and improving basic services as a priority for the ANC this year.

Delivering the ANC’s January 8 statement in Rustenburg on Saturday, he told ANC supporters this would mean “do or die” for the party.

Ramaphosa made the declaration in the belly of one of the country’s most run-down provinces, North West, which has service delivery problems and poor road infrastructure.

He bemoaned the decline in the public’s trust in local government, saying the conduct of cadres deployed by the party remained an area of concern.

“Too often, public trust in local government is undermined by councillors who are distant from their constituents and perceived as un-responsive to local problems. It is imperative that ANC councillors reconnect with their wards and restore public trust.”

Ramaphosa reiterated the ANC’s instruction to its councillors to rebuild their relationship with the communities and constituencies they serve.

“Last year we said that every ANC ward must have an active ward committee. Councillors and branch members must undertake regular door-to-door work and provide feedback on service delivery issues. Even when problems cannot be resolved immediately, residents must not be left without communication or support.

“Today, we reiterate that ANC councillors must build close working relationships with community-based formations to ensure two-way communication, engagement and feedback on matters of local concern.”

Municipal administration must be ethical and capable, with professional management insulated from undue political interference and capture

—  President Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa emphasised that local government was the coalface of service delivery and though a previously neglected sphere, it should be a priority for the party.

“Local government remains the sphere closest to citizens’ daily lives, where the injunction of the Freedom Charter that ‘the people shall govern’, must find its most direct expression. Municipalities must therefore fulfil their basic obligations: fix potholes, remove refuse regularly, keep communities clean and green, and provide clean water and sanitation,” he said.

He urged those at the helm of municipalities to steer clear of maladministration and called for professionalism.

“Municipal administration must be ethical and capable, with professional management insulated from undue political interference and capture.”

Ensuring a stable and steady water and electricity supply has been a major headache for the ANC and was one of the factors that led to a steady decline in the party’s electoral support, resulting in it having to govern through fragile coalitions in municipalities.

In last year’s statement, the president made a pledge to end load-shedding and ensure a consistent water supply. He said this would be achieved by upgrading, maintaining and expanding municipal infrastructure while tackling sabotage and corruption.

He reported a “dramatic improvement” in electricity provision as well as increased private investment in electricity generation.

However, he conceded that municipal load reduction continued to disrupt daily life.

“Load reduction is a mechanism municipalities use to manage debt to Eskom. We call on all electricity users to pay for the services they use and to support government in preventing illegal connections that cause overloads and outages. We also call on municipalities to strengthen billing and collection systems, honour debt-repayment commitments to Eskom, and act decisively against illegal connections and vandalism.”

Ramaphosa promised to expand access to the grid through the department of electricity and energy, connecting 20 rural communities each year.

In addition, Ramaphosa promised to elevate water security as a priority task, adding that the government had 13 major water resource infrastructure projects under implementation.

“The ANC also calls on all municipalities to ring-fence water revenue and intensify efforts to reduce water losses in a water-scarce country. Accordingly, ANC councillors must educate communities on careful water use and on paying for the water they consume.

“Households that cannot pay for water and electricity must be placed on the indigent register.”

The president called on municipalities to beef up their internal capacity to address challenges, and to rely less on outsourcing services.

“We call on municipalities to ensure proper project preparation, the use of skilled contractors and disciplined implementation so that these projects benefit communities. At the March 2025 Water Indaba, municipalities committed to using water tankers only for emergencies, rather than for regular provision.

“ANC branches and communities must assist the police in tackling those who sabotage water infrastructure to sustain water-tankering businesses. We call on law enforcement to ensure that those responsible are investigated and prosecuted.”

He added that it was necessary for their financial prudence and viability.

“Municipalities must also increase funding for infrastructure maintenance and strengthen administrative capacity. They must build in-house capacity, especially functional yellow fleets and skilled personnel, to fix water leaks, potholes and power outages, and to deliver basic cleaning and greening services.”

Local government elections are expected to take place later this year with the ANC fighting to claw back electoral support after the beating it took in the 2024 national and provincial elections.

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