SOWETO, GAUTENG — ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has returned to the campaign trail in Soweto, canvassing key Johannesburg wards for votes in the upcoming local government elections. This strategic campaign push comes just days after Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero faced intense public backlash over a heated confrontation with a resident in Tshepisong, adding fresh scrutiny to the party’s electoral efforts.
During his engagement, President Ramaphosa was questioned on whether his presence in the area was an attempt at damage control following the Mayor’s controversial actions. Ramaphosa firmly rejected this notion, clarifying that the campaign stop was not orchestrated for that purpose. He acknowledged that Mayor Morero had since apologized for his utterances after being heckled and labeled a criminal by a resident during a city service delivery meeting. While noting that mishaps are an unfortunate reality of an election season, the President emphasized that Morero has been brought to account and that the ANC is actively dealing with the matter internally.
The campaign focused heavily on listening to residents about persistent service delivery gaps in an area that was once a guaranteed ANC stronghold but is now considered highly contested ahead of the November 4 elections. Electricity remains a dominant concern. Beyond the promised end to load reduction, residents highlighted a severe lack of infrastructure. Discussions revealed that the rising cost of living and poverty in growing households have led to increased illegal electricity bridging and infrastructure tampering, as formal services fail to reach those in need.
Drawing on his personal roots, President Ramaphosa reminded residents that he grew up in Shawela, Soweto, and intimately understands the community’s daily struggles. He addressed the critical issue of youth unemployment, acknowledging the socio-economic reality that idle young people wandering the streets contributes to a scaling amount of infrastructure damage and criminality. To combat this, the President stressed the urgent need to empower the township economy, enabling residents to create sustainable, community-driven job opportunities.
Broadening the scope of the campaign narrative, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi addressed the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) recent electoral strategies. Lesufi pushed back against what he described as opportunistic DA billboard campaigns in Tshwane and Hammanskraal, which highlighted local water tanker failures. Condemning the tactic as hypocritical, Lesufi argued that the opposition prefers to “find potholes and swim in them” and erect billboards showcasing failures rather than focusing on practical, collaborative solutions to service delivery.
As the local government elections approach, the ANC’s ability to retain voter confidence in these historically supportive wards will hinge on addressing these immediate socio-economic concerns while managing internal party discipline.