ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed progress in Mangaung’s cleanup campaign while defending his party’s readiness for the elections, insisting that internal disputes have been resolved as it seeks to regain public confidence.
During a visit to Ward 51 in Phase 7, Bloemfontein, Ramaphosa said conditions in the troubled metro had improved since his previous visit, crediting provincial and municipal leaders with responding to residents’ concerns.
He acknowledged that challenges remained but said community engagements had helped him assess both persistent problems and improvements in service delivery.
The visit puts the ANC’s promises of cleaner communities and better local governance under scrutiny, with residents’ everyday experiences likely to shape perceptions of the party’s performance.
On the campaign trail, Ramaphosa has faced the task of reassuring voters that the ANC can address local government failures while delivering on its broader promises.
Progress in Mangaung, he suggested, showed that efforts to tackle service delivery problems were continuing.
He also rejected suggestions that internal party tensions were undermining the election campaign, saying disputes over candidate registration had been settled.
“We are united as an organisation. Like any other organisation, there will always be issues that arise. Like we had an election registration issue of candidates but we are over that now, and that is now behind us,” he said.
Ramaphosa maintained that resolving internal problems was part of the party’s ability to move forward.
“The good thing about the ANC was that when we encounter challenges and problems, we find solutions, and once those solutions are found, we unite, we close ranks, and we move forward.”
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics