ActionSA members
The political race in the Mopani District is getting very exciting. ActionSA is making big moves in areas where the African National Congress, known as the ANC, has always been very strong.
ActionSA has planned a special two-day tour to introduce its newly announced mayoral candidates to the public. This campaign is a big step for the party as it tries to win the trust of rural voters. The party leaders are also visiting local royal families to show respect and build strong relationships.
The Leadership Team and the New Candidates
The president of ActionSA, Herman Mashaba, is leading this campaign. He is joined by the deputy president of the party, Dr. Mbahare Kekana, and the provincial chairperson for Limpopo, Victor Mothemela. Together, they want to prove that ActionSA is ready to run local governments.
They have introduced a strong team of mayoral candidates for key areas in the region. The newly announced candidates are:
*Mopani District Municipality: Maripe Mangena; Greater Giyani Municipality: Ponani Makhubele; Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality: Dr. Mike Mikia Ramothwala; Makhado Local Municipality: Eric Mafanedza and Greater Letaba Local Municipality: Reuben Mosila
The party has decided not to field mayoral candidates in Maruleng and Phalaborwa at this stage, choosing instead to focus their main resources on these highly competitive municipalities. By announcing these specific candidates, ActionSA wants to show voters that they have a clear plan and a dedicated team ready to work for them.
Building a Strong Local Team
In the past, many people thought that the rural parts of Limpopo would always vote for the ANC. ActionSA also had some tough times in the beginning. In Giyani, the party previously experienced a lacklustre showing when Ponani Makhubele was associated with the campaign, especially given her history of moving between different political organizations.
However, ActionSA has changed its strategy and decided to fully embrace Makhubele as their official mayoral candidate for Greater Giyani to consolidate her local support. By combining her presence with newly enlisted, highly respected leaders like Maripe Mangena, Dr. Mike Mikia Ramothwala, Reuben Mosila, and Eric Mafanedza, ActionSA has managed to make serious inroads into the heart of the ANC hinterland.
Day One: Visiting the Royal Leaders
The first day of the tour, Friday, 10 July, was all about showing respect to traditional leaders. In rural South Africa, royal leaders hold a lot of influence, and their blessing is very important for any political campaign.
The ActionSA leaders started their day at 11:30 with a visit to the Maake Traditional Council Offices in Ga-Maake. After that, at 12:35, they visited the Nkuna Traditional Council in Muhlaba. Finally, at 14:00, they visited the Modjadji Royal Nation at the Khethlakoni Royal Offices.
Herman Mashaba would love to have these royal leaders stand with him at his public events, but this is a difficult goal to achieve. The Maake Traditional Council is acting as a warm host because her son, Maripe Mangena, is the one getting the nod as the mayoral candidate for the Mopani District. Because of this close family connection, they are likely to show support.
However, the other royal leaders are highly unlikely to attend the public announcements. This is especially true for the Modjadji Royal Council, who traditionally only show up for the ANC and the SACP because they view them as the official government.
Day Two: Meeting the People
The second day of the tour, Saturday, 11 July, focused on ordinary citizens. The main launch event started at 10:30 at the Bulamahlo Community Hall. This was the moment everyone was waiting for, as the new mayoral candidates were formally introduced to the community.
At 13:30, after the speeches were finished, Herman Mashaba and his team went on a twenty-minute walk around the area. This gave them a chance to talk directly to local residents, listen to their everyday problems, and explain how ActionSA can help. The tour ended at 13:50 when the party leaders departed.
A Tough Battle for the ANC
This election is going to be very hard for the ruling party. Many different political parties have been traveling all over Mopani to get votes. Parties like the South African Communist Party, the ANC, the Economic Freedom Fighters, and Afrika Mayibuye have all been campaigning hard.
Because of all this intense competition, the ANC will have to fight very hard to stay in power. Experts believe the ANC will lose many seats in this election. This has made the provincial leaders of the ANC very worried. In the past, Mopani always gave the ANC its best voting numbers, but things look very different this time. ActionSA is ready to give them a real challenge.