ANC Limpopo chairperson Dr Phophi Ramathuba links voter support directly to service delivery, warning that communities expect tangible results. Picture Credit: Facebook
By AIsha Zardad
Limpopo – ANC Limpopo chairperson Dr Phophi Ramathuba has issued a blunt warning to her party, making it clear that electoral support in the province will depend on whether basic services are delivered.
Speaking after her re-election at the party’s elective conference over the weekend, Ramathuba said the ANC’s ambition to secure up to 90% of the vote in Limpopo rests on its ability to meet the everyday needs of communities.
“If we were consistent in delivering basic services, we would overwhelmingly achieve 90%,” she said in an interview on Monday.
“Our people are not asking for shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). They are asking for water, roads, and the ability to live with dignity.”
Her remarks come amid a broader push by President Cyril Ramaphosa to increase the party’s support in the province from around 70% to 90%.
Across Limpopo, ongoing service delivery failures continue to affect daily life, particularly in rural areas. Communities face persistent water shortages, unreliable electricity supply, and deteriorating road infrastructure, worsened in some areas by recent flood damage.
For many residents, access to clean water remains a challenge, while strained infrastructure continues to impact schools, healthcare facilities, and local economic activity.
Frustration over these conditions has led to growing unrest, with protests highlighting concerns over governance, financial mismanagement, and capacity constraints within municipalities.
Ramathuba acknowledged the challenges but maintained that solutions are within reach if priorities are correctly aligned.
“We know what needs to be done. We just have to do the correct thing,” she said. “If we prioritise water access, especially in rural areas, repair roads, rebuild after floods, and drive economic growth, people will respond.”
She said the party’s electoral prospects are directly tied to its performance in government, particularly at local level.
Ramathuba also raised concern over internal divisions within the ANC, warning that factionalism could undermine progress.
“We either unite or we perish,” she said. “When we focus on factional battles, we lose sight of the issues that matter most to our people.”
