President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the ANC’s January 8 statement to a half-empty stadium in Rustenburg yesterday, as logistical challenges once again hampered the party’s flagship event.
Thousands of supporters failed to reach Moruleng Stadium outside Rustenburg after being caught in long traffic queues for hours. The blistering heat compounded the situation, with many of those who made it into the venue abandoning the open stands in search of shade.
As Ramaphosa took to the podium, scores of empty chairs were visible, with ANC members moving towards the single covered grandstand. Cellphone reception in and around the stadium was poor, despite state security minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni telling the Sunday Times ahead of the event that coverage had been boosted.
The Sunday Times understands that Vodacom had set up mobile towers inside the stadium. Ntshavheni said the ANC always wanted to connect with its supporters, but acknowledged that hosting events in certain areas presented challenges.
She said the road leading to the stadium was a single lane and could not cope with the large number of vehicles descending on the area.
“The decision of the NEC to host the January 8 birthday celebrations within communities, while critical for the ANC, comes with its own challenges linked to infrastructure development,” said Ntshavheni.
“In such situations, the ANC preparatory committee does its best to address infrastructure-related matters that can have a quick fix. For example, the telecommunication performance was boosted across networks, as such there is minimal network congestion.”
Ntshavheni said many people were stuck in traffic for hours, including journalists, despite efforts by law enforcement.
“Similarly, even when security did their best to process people to access the stadium precinct, given the heat levels people chose to listen from the shade — under trees and beneath the stands — [rather] than sitting under direct sun in uncovered stands.“
For this reason the covered grandstand had remained full. The experience highlighted lessons for government at both provincial and national level.
If Moruleng Stadium is to be self-sustaining, it must host major events. In light of this, the government must start planning for a road expansion as we market the stadium as a venue for [such] events.
“If Moruleng Stadium is to be self-sustaining, it must host major events. In light of this, the government must start planning for a road expansion as we market the stadium as a venue for [such] events.”
Consideration should also be given to covering another grandstand.
“Overall, the event was very successful and ANC members and supporters in North West turned out in their numbers,” she said.
Delivering the January 8 statement, Ramaphosa lashed out at AfriForum and Solidarity, accusing the organisations of seeking to engineer regime change in South Africa.
He accused them of undermining the constitution and attempting to reverse democratic gains by spreading lies about a non-existent “white genocide”. Ramaphosa said this narrative had put South Africa at loggerheads with the US under Donald Trump’s administration.
“These minorities,” he said, wanted to topple the state.
“On the one hand, they form and fund political parties designed to fragment the motive forces of change. On the other hand, they sow the seeds of regime change, establish parallel state structures and foment secessionist tendencies,” said Ramaphosa.
“Reversing the gains of democracy by any means has become an increasingly open objective of domestic anti-transformation forces and their global allies.”
Ramaphosa said there was now a need to fight back against them.
“Given these challenges, the current conjuncture demands that we build the broadest united front to defend, consolidate and advance the national democratic revolution, our constitutional democracy and status as a sovereign country in the family of nations,” he said.
“We must defend, consolidate and advance the constitution and the institutions of our constitutional democracy and ensure that they work for all South Africans. We must defend, consolidate and advance the rights of workers, the informal sector, small businesses, farmers and the middle strata.”
He said the ANC should also consolidate and advance quality basic services — including housing, education, healthcare, electricity, water, sanitation, the social security net, roads, broadband services and infrastructure — to millions of South Africans.
The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) had set six main aims for 2026, with local government identified as the prime focus. Others included fixing local government and improving basic services; speeding up economic transformation, inclusive growth and job creation; waging war on crime and corruption; and tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
Further, to build a South Africa that belongs to all through the National Dialogue, and to build a better Africa and a better world.
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