Comrades,
PEC members, Deployees and Residing,
Chris Hani REC Officials,
REC members present,
SACP, COSATU and SANCO
Subregional Executive Committee
MPs, MPLs and Councillors,
Members of the African National Congress,
Veterans of our Movement,
The Youth, Women, and Progressive Formations,
Staff of the African National Congress
Distinguished Guests,
We gather here today at a historic moment in the life of our glorious movement, just a month after the celebration of 114 years of the African National Congress. One hundred and fourteen years ago, our forebears came together under extremely difficult conditions to form a liberation movement that would become the primary instrument for the emancipation of black people in South Africa.
The African National Congress was born out of resistance to dispossession, land theft, racial domination, and economic exclusion. From its founding in 1912, the ANC has remained the most consistent defender and champion of the interests of the oppressed and the marginalized. Through decades of struggle from petitions and mass mobilization to armed struggle, international solidarity, and negotiations the ANC led our people to freedom and democracy.
Today, we reflect with pride on the achievements of the ANC in the emancipation of black people. Under ANC leadership, South Africa achieved political freedom in 1994, dismantling the apartheid system and restoring dignity to millions. We introduced one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, expanded access to education, housing, healthcare, water, and electricity, and created opportunities where none existed before. Millions of black South Africans now own homes, access social grants, participate in the economy, and exercise their democratic rights because of the sacrifices of this movement.
However, comrades, anniversaries are not only about celebration — they are also moments of honest reflection and renewal.
As the Chris Hani Region, we are guided by the understanding that the ANC can only continue to serve the people effectively if it renews itself organizationally, politically, and morally. Organizational renewal is not a slogan; it is a necessity. It demands unity of purpose, discipline, ethical leadership, and a return to people.centered activism. It calls on all cadres to place the interests of the people above personal ambition and factionalism.
We must rebuild strong, functional branches that are rooted in communities and responsive to the daily struggles of our people. The ANC must once again be seen as a movement that listens, that leads, and that delivers. Renewal means restoring the credibility of the organization and ensuring that those deployed to serve do so with integrity, humility, and commitment to service.
Comrades,
The year 2026 is a decisive year for our movement. It will be the year of the Local Government Elections, where the ANC will once again seek a mandate from the people to govern at the local level. Local government is the sphere closest to the people, it is where service delivery is felt most directly. Roads, water, sanitation, electricity, housing, and local economic development all determine the lived experience of our communities.
As we approach 2026, the ANC in the Chris Hani Region must intensify its work on the ground. We must reconnect with communities, address service delivery challenges, and ensure that municipalities are capacitated, accountable, and developmental. Winning the 2026 Local Government Elections will depend not only on our history, but on our performance, unity, and credibility today.
Let us use this RGC to recommit ourselves to championing the people’s interests, particularly the poor, the working class, the youth, and women. The ANC must continue to be the voice of the voiceless and the defender of social justice, economic transformation, and inclusive development.
For more than a century, the ANC has remained the principal instrument for the emancipation of black people. Through sacrifice, courage, and unwavering commitment, the ANC led the struggle against colonialism and apartheid, culminating in the democratic breakthrough of 1994. Under ANC leadership, political freedom was achieved, dignity was restored, and millions of black South Africans gained access to housing, education, healthcare, social protection, land reform initiatives, and economic participation.
Comrades,
As we have just celebrated the anniversary of the formation of the ANC, we do so guided by the January 8th Statement of the President of the African National Congress, which reminds us that the ANC must continue to be a movement of the people, focused on improving the material conditions of society. The January 8th Statement outlines key priorities that must guide our work at all levels of the organization as follows:
1. Priority Number One: Fixing local government: Strengthening municipal governance, improving service delivery, and ensuring accountability to build trust with our people.
2. Priority Number Two: Speeding up economic transformation*: Promoting inclusive growth, supporting SMMEs, and creating jobs to reduce inequality and poverty.
3. Priority Number Three: Fighting crime and corruption: Strengthening law enforcement, improving justice systems, and ensuring accountability to build a safe and secure society.
4. Priority Number Four: Building a united South Africa: Fostering social cohesion, promoting nation-building, and addressing historical injustices to create a more equitable society.
5. Priority Number Five: Renewing our organization: Strengthening ANC structures, improving internal democracy, and building a culture of accountability and transparency.
6. Priority Number Six: Building a better Africa and world*: Promoting African integration, strengthening global partnerships, and advocating for a more just and equitable international order.
These priorities speak to the strengthening of a capable, ethical, and developmental state, anchored on clean governance and decisive action against corruption. The ANC has reaffirmed that corruption undermines service delivery, erodes public trust, and weakens the moral standing of our movement. As leaders and cadres, we must lead by example and uphold the highest standards of integrity.
The January 8th Statement further emphasizes the need for economic transformation and job creation, particularly for young people. Our movement is committed to building an inclusive economy that addresses unemployment, poverty, and inequality the triple challenges confronting our society. At a local level, this calls on municipalities to drive local economic development, support small businesses, cooperatives, and emerging farmers, and unlock opportunities for youth and women.
Comrades,
These priorities were further sharpened and consolidated during the ANC National Lekgotla, which resolved that organizational renewal is central to the survival and effectiveness of the movement. The Lekgotla reaffirmed the importance of unity, discipline, and collective leadership, and called for the rebuilding of strong branches that are rooted in communities and responsive to the needs of the people.
Key resolutions of the National Lekgotla include strengthening local government performance, improving service delivery, stabilizing municipalities, and ensuring that ANC-led councils function effectively and transparently. The Lekgotla further resolved that the ANC must intensify its “mass-based character,” returning to door-to-door campaigns, community engagements, and issue-based activism.
Comrades,
These national priorities find practical expression in the Chris Hani District Development Priorities, which must guide our work as the ANC in this region.
The Chris Hani District remains largely rural, with significant potential in agriculture and agro-processing. As the ANC, we support initiatives that promote land reform, farmer support programmes, irrigation schemes, and the participation of small-scale and emerging farmers, particularly women and youth. Agricultural development remains a critical tool for job creation, food security, and rural economic growth.
“Infrastructure development” including roads, water provision, sanitation, and human settlements, remains a central priority for the district. Access to reliable water is fundamental to dignity, economic activity, and social well-being. The ANC commits itself to strengthening coordination between district and local municipalities to address water challenges, maintain infrastructure, and improve basic service delivery.
The energy transition and electricity security are also critical for economic development and service delivery. In line with national policy, the ANC supports investment in energy infrastructure, including renewable energy initiatives that can stimulate local economies and create employment opportunities within the district.
Comrades,
The district’s development priorities further emphasize youth employment, skills development, and education. Our young people face the harsh reality of unemployment and limited opportunities. The ANC must ensure that local government programmes support skills development, Expanded Public Works Programmes, learnerships, and entrepreneurship initiatives that empower youth to become active participants in the economy.
Social development remains a core pillar of ANC governance. The provision of quality healthcare, education, social grants, and support for vulnerable groups continues to define the character of the ANC as a caring movement that places people at the centre of development.
Comrades,
Organizational renewal in the Chris Hani Region is therefore non-negotiable. We must rebuild strong branches, restore discipline, and ensure unity of purpose. The ANC must once again be visible in communities, responsive to challenges, and decisive in its leadership.
As we mark 114 years of the African National Congress, let us recommit ourselves to the values that built this movement: selflessness, service, unity, and sacrifice. Guided by the January 8th Statement, strengthened by the resolutions of the National Lekgotla, and aligned to the Chris Hani District Development Priorities, we must work tirelessly to improve the lives of our people.
The ANC remains the hope of the people. Our responsibility is to renew it, strengthen it, and ensure that it continues to lead society towards a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous South Africa.
Importantly, the National Lekgotla emphasized cadre development and deployment, ensuring that those deployed to positions of responsibility are competent, committed, and accountable to the people and the organization.
Comrades,
All these resolutions find concrete expression as we approach 2026 the year of the Local Government Elections. These elections are critical because local government is the sphere closest to the people. It is where the successes and failures of governance are felt daily. As the ANC in the Emalahleni Subregion and the broader Chris Hani Region, we must prepare now to earn the trust and confidence of our communities. Winning the 2026 Local Government Elections will require more than slogans. It will require “renewed organizational strength”, visible leadership, responsive governance, and a clear commitment to solving service delivery challenges such as water provision, infrastructure maintenance, housing, and local economic development.
Comrades,
The celebration of 114 years of the ANC must therefore be a moment of “renewed commitment”. A commitment to put the people first. A commitment to unity and discipline. A commitment to rebuilding the ANC as a trusted leader of society.
Let us leave this gathering inspired by the legacy of our forebears, guided by the January 8th Statement, strengthened by the resolutions of the National Lekgotla, and united in our mission to build a better life for all.
The African National Congress remains the hope of the people. Our responsibility is to renew it, defend it, and strengthen it — for today and for generations to come.
Comrades,
After 114 years, the ANC remains the hope of millions. Our task is to protect, renew, and strengthen this movement so that it continues to lead society towards a non-racial, non- sexist, democratic, and prosperous South Africa. Let us leave this celebration united, disciplined, and energized to build a stronger ANC and to secure victory in 2026 not for ourselves, but for the people of Emalahleni, the Chris Hani Region, and South Africa as a whole.
Amandla!!!
