With a few days to go before the local government elections, the battle for the 35 wards of Moses Kotane Local Municipality, based in Mogwase in the North West province’s Bojanala Platinum District, is reaching fever pitch.
While 25 political parties are contesting the elections, independent candidates are attracting considerable local attention by promising a direct alternative to traditional party politics.
The rural municipality, which covers 107 villages and the two traditional townships of Madikwe and Mogwase, will see a total of 653 ward candidates contesting the upcoming elections.
Among them are ten independent candidates determined to break the party-political deadlock.
Two of these independent candidates took part in a special election debate on YOU FM’s Newshour, expressing confidence that their grassroots campaigns would secure victory in their respective wards.
Renosi Siko, an independent candidate for Ward 28 in Ledig, near the Sun City resort, said her campaign directly reflects the urgent and long-overlooked needs of her community.
“We have developed five community-centred pillars to address the severe daily water shortages facing our residents.
“In some sections of our community, we can go for more than a month without a water delivery.
“Because the Sun City resort and the Bakubung Platinum Mine operate within our region, we believe they should be approached to assist with water provision and help create much-needed employment opportunities, particularly for young people,” said Siko.
Her sentiments were echoed by Malebogo Putu, an independent candidate for Ward 23 in Mabeskraal, who stressed that voters wanted leaders who were committed to their villages and not influenced by outside interests.
“As a full-time resident of Ward 23 in Mabeskraal, I witness and experience the daily challenges facing our community first-hand.
“I have always dedicated myself to assisting community members whenever needed.
“It is this passion for service that has inspired me to step forward and stand as an independent candidate for ward councillor.
“I am fully aware that entering the council will not bring immediate solutions to all our demands.
“A councillor does not operate in isolation; I will be part of a wider collective responsible for serving the entire municipality.
“However, I promise to be a fearless advocate for Ward 23 and will work tirelessly within that collective to ensure our community’s needs are prioritised and addressed urgently,” said Putu.
Both candidates maintained that their localised, community-first messages were resonating with residents who felt abandoned by mainstream political parties.
With 35 crucial council seats at stake, the independent candidates believe they could hold the key to greater accountability, positioning themselves as authentic voices for the region’s diverse rural and township communities.
