The Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) at Moses Kotane District in the North West, has urged its mother body, the South African Communist Party (SACP) to contest the 2026 local government elections independently from the alliance leader, ANC.The league’s Provincial Secretary Mogale Matsose II told You FM Newshour that decision was taken at the Provincial 6th Congress Committee Fourth plenary meeting that was held over the weekend in Stilfontein near Klerksdorp.
“We believe that regardless of the difficulties ahead, it is important for the SACP to contest the local government elections for the sake of the working class and the poor. We made contributions on how the SACP should develop a manifesto, candidate selection criteria, election structures, the state of local government in the province, and the impact the SACP can have in municipal councils.An SACP government must be able to provide a socialist transformation of government,” said Matsose II. The provincial secretary also called on those who have lost hope with government, to align themselves with the SACP.
“We call on the working class and the poor in the North West province who are despondent, miserable and aspiring for a better life to work with SACP to improve their lives. The SACP seeks to deepen democracy by governing with the people. This means that we will ensure that we pursue socialism by constantly consulting and accounting to the people,” explained Matsose II.
The league has also raised concern over the static state of municipalities in the province, rejecting the notion of disestablishing the Ditsobotla Local Municipality.
“While councillors change with each election, things seem to stay the same. This has led the meeting to the conclusion that there is equally a problem at the administration level. Ditsobotla is a perfect example of this as the municipality has been put under all forms of section 139 of the constitution, but the situation does not change. We propose that a constitutional amendment should be made to section 139 (c) to replace the word municipal council with a municipality. This will mean a dysfunctional municipality, not just the municipal council could be dissolved,” remarked Matsose II.
Furthermore, the league condemned the Mamusa Local Municipality for not paying workers their salaries and called for the province to intervene in the affairs of that council. The YCLSA has welcomed ANC Deputy Provincial Chairperson and Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi’s State of the Province address (SOPA) he delivered three-weeks ago, albeit with reservations. The league also expressed concern about the deficient provincial budget as presented by the Finance MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi last week due to the austerity measures from the National Treasury.
“The task of the 7th administration is immense as the unemployment rate in the province stands at 36.8% and the expanded definition is a staggering 51.5%. This has led the people in the North West losing faith in our democracy as demonstrated by the province having the lowest voter turnout in the country at 51.42%,” said Matsose II.
In addition, Matsose II called for beneficiation and value chain funding to turn around the economic situation of the province. “The YCLSA recognizes that the pillars of our province are mining, agriculture, and tourism. In terms of mining and agriculture, we call for beneficiation. Minerals need to be beneficiated in the province so that they stop leaving the province as raw materials but as manufactured goods. Equally, we call for more emphasis on the Argo-processing of all agricultural goods produced in the province. For example, livestock should stop leaving the province but be slaughtered and packaged as meat province here and not in other provinces. Beneficiation of both minerals and agricultural goods in the province will require cargo airports to take these secondary goods straight from the North West to other parts of the country, Africa and the world,” said Matsose II.
