Ramaphosa leads ANC’s final KZN campaign push as local elections near

The visit comes with about a week remaining before voters head to the polls. Ramaphosa is expected to take part in voter canvassing and community engagements, continuing a national campaign in which he has travelled to different parts of the country to ask South Africans to support the governing party.

Ramaphosa to meet residents and teachers

The ANC said the programme in eThekwini would give the president an opportunity to engage directly with residents and teachers. The party said the discussions would focus on community concerns, service delivery and its plans for building better communities.

“The programme will provide an opportunity for the president to engage directly with residents and teachers, listen to community concerns and outline the ANC’s commitment to improving service delivery and building better communities together,” the ANC said.

The emphasis on direct engagement places local concerns at the centre of the final stage of the campaign. Municipal elections often bring national political promises into sharper focus because voters assess parties through the everyday services delivered in their communities.

Issues such as access to water, electricity, infrastructure and public safety can have an immediate effect on residents’ daily lives. These concerns are expected to remain important as parties compete for support in municipalities across the country.

ANC defends its record in government

Ramaphosa’s KZN campaign follows a weekend appearance in Soweto, where he defended the ANC’s 32-year record in government. He argued that the party had overseen significant transformation and development since taking power.

The ANC president acknowledged that the party had made mistakes, but maintained that its achievements outweighed its failures. His message sought to present the party’s record as a balance between shortcomings and progress while asking voters to continue trusting its experience.

Asked why South Africans should keep supporting the ANC, Ramaphosa pointed to the party’s time in government and its contribution to transformation.

“Well, the ANC has been running government for 32 years and the transformation that we see in our country, whether people like it or not, whether they hate the ANC or not, has been brought about by the African National Congress.”

He also conceded that the party had experienced what he described as “missteps” along the way.

“So, people should continue trusting the ANC, because of its experience and the delivery it has brought, it will continue doing so. And of course, along the way, there’ll be missteps, and there’ll also be areas where there’s been excellence.

“And when you do the balance, when you look at the balance sheet, there’s more positive than negative. So, I always say that the glass is half full; in fact, here, three-quarters full.”

Service delivery at the centre of the contest

The elections are expected to be closely contested, with service delivery challenges shaping the political debate. The lack of water and electricity, together with crime, has placed pressure on municipalities and remains a concern for communities.

For the ANC, the final campaign days provide an opportunity to respond to those concerns directly while reinforcing its argument that it has the experience needed to govern. For residents, the engagements offer a chance to raise local issues before voting decisions are made.

The impact of municipal government is often felt through practical services rather than national policy. That makes conversations about reliable basic services particularly significant during a local election campaign.

Ramaphosa highlights inequality and apartheid-era planning

The ANC’s message on service delivery has also been linked to Ramaphosa’s wider criticism of inequality. Earlier this month, while campaigning in the Western Cape, he said the “spatial architecture of apartheid” remained visible across the province.

He argued that township residents continued to experience inequality and inferior services compared with people living in wealthier suburbs. The ANC leader said differences in housing, infrastructure and service delivery remained evident nearly three decades after the start of democracy.

Ramaphosa said his visits to communities across Cape Town had highlighted the continuing effects of apartheid-era planning. The argument forms part of the ANC’s broader campaign case that historical inequality remains a major challenge for local government and communities.

A final appeal before voters go to the polls

Ramaphosa’s eThekwini engagements will be among the ANC’s final opportunities to connect with voters before the local government elections. The visit combines two central themes of the party’s campaign: defending its long record in government and acknowledging the concerns that continue to affect residents.

Whether voters accept the ANC’s argument that its achievements outweigh its failures will be decided at the polls. In the meantime, the party is using the final days of campaigning to place its president in communities, hear concerns directly and make its case for continued support.