SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila and retinue meet the Modjadji Royal Council.
By: Serekela Mabeba
As the countdown to the Local Government Elections reached its final stretch, the South African Communist Party (SACP) launched a powerful campaign trail across the Letaba Sub-District in the Lawrence Phokanoka District on Wednesday. SACP General Secretary, Solly Mapaila, led a high-level party delegation directly to the streets, homesteads, and royal grounds of Limpopo to rally support for the working class and rural communities.
The intensive door-to-door blitz formed part of the party’s final push ahead of the upcoming elections. Under the banner of “Building People’s Power Where We Live” and the central theme of “Building a People’s Power for a Better South Africa,” the campaign focused on listening to residents and providing practical solutions to local challenges.
Historic Audience at the Modjadji Royal House
A central highlight of yesterday’s campaign was a private audience at the Modjadji Royal Capital of Khetlhakone in Bolobedu. Comrade Solly Mapaila and his delegation, including members of the SACP Limpopo Provincial Executive Committee, Lawrence Phokanoka District, as well as the Tzaneen and Greater Letaba Sub-Districts, were warmly received by the Modjadji Royal Council.
The SACP General Secretary has long maintained close ties with the Modjadji Royal Council, consistently standing alongside the royal house through its historical succession path. During the meeting, King-designate Lekukela Modjadji expressed his sincere appreciation for the unwavering support and guidance the SACP has provided in recent .
Joining the delegation was the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) Interim National Secretary, Comrade Jan Nabane. The YCLSA welcomed the engagement, noting that the meeting with King Lekukela Modjadji and the Traditional Council reaffirmed the vital importance of respecting traditional leadership and strengthening ties with rural communities.
Direct Community Engagement and Household Food Production
Following the royal audience, the SACP and YCLSA delegation engaged directly with the Red Brigades to launch the People’s Red Caravan Household Food Production Programme. As part of this initiative, local activists received vegetable seedlings to kick-start household food gardens across the district.
The YCLSA praised the practical project, emphasizing that building people’s power must extend beyond election day. The campaign aims to advance food security, self-reliance, and sustainable livelihoods, ensuring that political action directly improves the daily material conditions of local households.
Intensive Blitz Across Wards and Villages
Throughout the day, Comrade Mapaila and local cadres moved through various villages in the Greater Letaba Municipality to connect directly with working-class families:
* Ward 1, Khetlhakone: The day began at 10:00 AM with the launch of the “Know Your Neighbourhood” campaign. Comrade Mapaila, alongside trade union leaders and local activists, walked door-to-door to listen to resident grievances and discuss community-driven solutions.
* Ward 27, Rampepe Village: At 15:30 PM, the campaign visited Rampepe Village, where leaders met families on their doorsteps to address critical issues such as water access, electricity reliability, youth unemployment, and food security.
* Ward 27, Ratjeke Village: The delegation proceeded to Ratjeke Village at 16:30 PM for street-level meetings with farmworkers, pension recipients, and local small traders.
Mass Meeting in Mamanyoha Village
The dynamic campaign trail concluded at 17:30 PM with a well-attended Mass Meeting in Mamanyoha Village (Ward 27). Addressing the crowd, General Secretary Solly Mapaila highlighted the core socio-economic commitments of the SACP:
- Land Redistribution and Rural Development: Guaranteeing land access for rural families and small-scale farmers to build secure livelihoods and ensure food security.
- Job Creation and Decent Work: Driving state-backed infrastructure projects and local industrial support to create lasting jobs for unemployed youth.
- Quality Public Services: Demanding urgent action to fix municipal service delivery, improve local healthcare facilities, and upgrade township and village schools.
- Building Socialist Resistance: Strengthening grassroots SACP structures to combat municipal neglect, corruption, and corporate exploitation.
Uniting the Working Class
District party leadership in the Lawrence Phokanoka District commended the strong turnout from alliance partners, trade union shop stewards, youth league members, and local community organizations.
Yesterday’s successful visits across Letaba and the Modjadji Kingdom demonstrated the SACP’s deep roots in Limpopo, reinforcing the party’s ongoing commitment to lead from the front as a champion of the working class, youth, and rural poor.
SACP General Secretary, Solly Mapaila addresses Red Brigades.