Addressing the ANC’s roll call for councillors event at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Monday (15/9), Ramaphosa was candid about the state of governance in ANC-controlled municipalities. He encouraged his party’s representatives to learn from their political rivals where service delivery is more effective.

“I can name it here because there’s nothing wrong with competition. They are often DA-controlled municipalities. We need to ask ourselves, what is it they are doing better than what we are doing?   

“And there’s nothing wrong with us saying we want to go and see what Cape Town is doing. We want to go and see what Stellenbosch is doing.”

His comments have sparked debate, with some praising his honesty, while others view it as a politically risky admission. Political analyst Kedibone Phago from North West University believes Ramaphosa’s statement is both accurate and constructive.

“What president Ramaphosa was trying to say is there is an arrangement to monitor municipalities, and one of those arrangements resides with the department of Cogta, trying to check the state of municipalities.” 

He said Ramaphosa’s remarks are informed by concrete data, particularly from annual audit reports consistently revealing underperformance in ANC-run municipalities across the country.

“If you look at the majority of municipalities run by the DA and those run by the ANC, there is a huge difference. I think the president was trying to say we have a model of success in South Africa around and amongst ourselves, and we can actually take DA as a competitor. I think that is a very positive gesture.”

Phago said although Ramaphosa’s admission may have political consequences within the ANC, it reflects strong leadership from a governance perspective.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg