When the ANC last brought its January 8th Statement to the North West in 2016, the watchwords were clear: Back to Basics, ethical leadership, jobs, NHI readiness, and support for youth and women. Ten years later, the movement returns to Moruleng—this time on the eve of the 2026 local government elections—while many of those priorities remain stubbornly on the public agenda.

This is not a moment for slogans; it’s a test of delivery. Here’s what matters for our province—and what we’ll be listening for at Moruleng Stadium.

1) Back to Basics for municipalities: fix the everyday

Residents across the province have voiced persistent dissatisfaction for a decade: water interruptions, refuse backlogs, failing streetlights, potholes, sewer spills, slow turn-around on complaints, and audit weaknesses that never quite go away.

What would progress look like now?

• A public 90-day “Fix the Basics” plan per municipality, with weekly dashboards (water days without interruption, refuse pick-up completion rates, sewer spill response times, streetlight repairs completed).

• Consequence management for repeat audit findings and clear procurement transparency (publish awards, timelines, and budgets in plain language).

• Ward-level service desks with trackable case numbers—not WhatsApp promises.

2) Candidate quality & elections: integrity upfront, not after the fact

The 2016 statement pledged the “best possible candidates.” Yet North West politics has been roiled by disputes over fitness for office—up to and including a current ad hoc committee probing allegations tied to qualifications of a senior municipal official, with a report due in the first quarter of 2026.

What would progress look like now?

• A transparent vetting framework before candidate lists are final: verified qualifications, integrity pledges, basic lifestyle disclosures, conflict-of-interest registers—published, not hinted at.

• Clear timelines to implement the ad hoc committee’s recommendations, with public reporting.

3) Economy & jobs: celebrate small wins, scale what works

The province has recorded an approx. 2% improvement in unemployment, a welcome if fragile gain after years of pressure. The challenge is to turn islands of progress into a mainland: build local value chains, keep procurement local where lawful, and de-risk township and rural SMMEs with practical support.

What would progress look like now?

• Monthly jobs dashboards tied to specific programmes (infrastructure spend, enterprise development, tourism, agriculture), not general claims.

• Enforceable local-content targets where possible, on-time supplier payment, and an SMME pipeline that moves firms from survival to scale.

4) Health & NHI: readiness requires honesty

NHI featured prominently in 2016. In 2025, questions persist about quality and capacity: staff vacancies, equipment downtimes, referral bottlenecks and medicine stock-outs.

What would progress look like now?

• Facility-by-facility readiness checklists (HR, equipment uptime, essential medicines, emergency response, oncology pathways) with quarterly publication.

• Investments in clinic maintenance and digital patient records that cut queues and errors—before grand timelines.

5) Education, youth & women: the hinge of the future

Youth remain the most affected by unemployment. GBV statistics have reportedly been on an increase over recent years, which is not encouraging—but very fragile.

What would progress look like now?

• Paid youth pathways (internships, learnerships, artisan training) tied to real vacancies and contractors on public projects.

• Sustained GBV prevention and survivor support (transport, shelters, case tracking, court support) with measurable case-clearance targets.

• Practical school-to-work bridges—career guidance, micro-credentials, and employer commitments.

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What we’ll listen for at Moruleng

• Time-bound municipal service targets (90 days, 6 months, 12 months) with public dashboards.

• Candidate vetting rules and the post-hearing roadmap from the ad hoc committee.

• Jobs math, not adjectives: how many jobs, where, by when, funded by what.

• A clinic-level NHI readiness plan and a maintenance budget that matches reality.

• Concrete youth and GBV commitments with named implementers and dates.

The ANC’s January 8th Statement has always been the annual to-do list. In 2016, it set the right direction; in 2026, North West needs proof of travel. As the rally approaches—and as local elections loom—the only convincing message is measurable delivery that residents can feel on their streets, in their clinics, and in their payslips.

Have your say: What should be in the statement for North West this year? Send us your priorities, service experiences and proposals. We’ll compile community questions and track official responses—because in our district, District News That Matter should means plans you can measure, and promises you can verify.

Across the past decade in North West, ANC support has eased from the mid-to-high 60s into the high-50s: the provincial vote fell from 67.39% (2014) to 61.87% (2019) and 57.73% (2024), while local-election support slipped from 59.36% (2016) to ~55.25% (2021); on the 2024 National Assembly regional ballot the party polled 58.28%. The ANC remains the largest force and still holds legislative majorities (21/33 seats in 2019; 23/38 in 2024), but with thinner margins and greater exposure to coalition pressures at municipal level. The trend points to resilient rural loyalty offset by attrition in towns—making delivery on “back to basics,” credible candidates and jobs pivotal before the 2026 locals.

-The VIP Editor 

-ANC

-ANC NW

-IEC 

-STATSsa