By Abigail Visagie

The African National Congress (ANC)’s 114th anniversary celebrations at Moruleng Stadium in the North West drew tens of thousands of supporters, complete with music and political theatre — yet just beyond the stadium gates, crumbling roads, water shortages, and failing infrastructure laid bare the province’s deepening service delivery crisis.

Against this backdrop, President Cyril Ramaphosa used his address to emphasise the urgent need to strengthen local government and improve the provision of basic services.

“Local government is the sphere of government closest to the people and must fulfil its basic responsibilities,” Ramaphosa said.

He outlined priorities including road maintenance, refuse removal, sanitation and access to clean water. “Municipalities should fix potholes, remove refuse regularly, keep communities clean and green, and provide clean water and sanitation,” he said.

ANC members and supporters arrived in large numbers, many in striking attire, underscoring the significance of the occasion. However, travelling to the venue highlighted persistent service delivery challenges facing the area.

While the atmosphere inside the stadium was festive, the surrounding communities told a different story.

The North West province has long struggled with deteriorating infrastructure, particularly pothole-riddled roads — a problem so widespread the province has earned an unflattering reputation for poor road maintenance.

In many rural settlements, residents continue to endure years of inadequate service delivery, with failing infrastructure and recurring water shortages.

Ramaphosa also called for increased funding for infrastructure maintenance and urged municipalities to develop in-house capacity. “Municipalities must build functional yellow fleets and employ skilled personnel to address water leaks, potholes, and power outages, and to deliver basic cleaning and greening services,” he added.

The president further announced that the Department of Electricity and Energy will connect 20 communities to the national grid each year, expanding access to clean and affordable electricity. In addition, North West has received R1.2 billion to improve access to water services.

“We call on municipalities to ensure proper project preparation, the use of skilled contractors and disciplined implementation so that these projects deliver real benefits to communities,” Ramaphosa said.