POSTMASBURG - A small community in the Northern Cape has voted the ANC out of power in the Tsantsabane Local Municipality.
Rise Tsantsabane Communities (RTC) secured 43.8% of the vote in the recent local government elections, winning 13 council seats.
The ANC was reduced to just three seats.
According to Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul, this is not the first time RTC has beaten the ANC by a significant margin.
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The ANC later regained control, securing more than 60% of the vote.
However, growing frustration over poor service delivery, with residents having to build their own bridges and roads, has once again shifted support towards RTC.
The party’s president, Michael Mabilo, says they are pleased with the election outcome.
“We are excited because now we have the opportunity to change the lives of our people,” says Mabilo.
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He says the party will not pursue personal or political agendas but will focus on improving the lives of residents.
Mabilo believes the ANC became complacent, taking residents’ continued support for granted while failing to address service delivery challenges.
“It is an organisation that was never close to the people until the people decided to put their foot down and go the alternative way,” he says.
Tsantsabane, which includes the town of Postmasburg, is surrounded by about 40 mines but continues to struggle with high unemployment.
RTC has approached mining companies, calling on them to adopt one of the municipality’s seven wards and invest in local development.
Mabilo says the mines have not been doing enough to meet their Social and Labour Plan (SLP) commitments.
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He also believes the previous municipal administration failed to follow up on these commitments to ensure local residents benefited through employment opportunities.
Mabilo says the party has engaged with several mining companies, some of which have already made commitments.
He believes the new administration will strengthen these partnerships.
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“If every mine would commit and adopt each ward, help develop the area then Tsantsabane will be great,” he says.
Mabilo says these partnerships will be managed in an orderly manner, without disrupting mining operations or creating instability.
“The new administration will ensure we really deliver quality services for our people,” he says.