The African National Congress has aggressively kicked its election machinery into high gear in the Matlosana region, with 1st Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane leading a high-stakes voter mobilization drive in Kanana, Ward 20 on Friday, 18 September 2026.
With the local government elections looming on 4 November 2026, the party’s top brass descended on the area near Klerksdorp to secure the grassroots vote through intensive door-to-door campaigning and public meetings, urging residents to stick with the ruling party to ensure continued community development.
Mokonyane’s high-profile campaign trail drew heavy political weight, including ANC North West Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) member Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, Regional Executive Committee (REC) members, and Matlosana Executive Mayor Fikile Mahlophe.
Amid the political rallying, Mayor Mahlophe took the opportunity to brief both the senior party leadership and local residents on the status of current municipal projects and active service delivery initiatives, aiming to reassure voters of the administration’s progress.
The drive yielded passionate displays of lifelong loyalty, most notably from Kanana township elder Nkgono Maria Nkone. Speaking exclusively to City Report SA during the canvassing blitz, Nkone declared her unwavering support for the ANC, confirming she will confidently cast her ballot for the ruling party come November.
However, the intensive campaign also exposed deep internal friction within the local ranks. While on the ground, Mokonyane confronted palpable tensions in Ward 20, where ANC members are locked in a bitter dispute over a ward candidate who was allegedly removed from the party’s official election lists.
The local branch remains starkly divided, with one faction demanding the retention of current ward councillor Lehlohonolo Mahogen, while another faction firmly backs Sonnyboy Modiakgotla.
Rather than suppressing the volatile internal dissent, Mokonyane chose to face the conflict head-on.
She instructed the programme director, Molapisi, to allow ten aggrieved members to publicly voice their grievances, stepping in directly to address the candidate dispute in a bid to unify the fractured ward before voters head to the polls.
Some of the current ward councillors in Matlosana actively rebelled against the party’s regional leadership, accusing officials of manipulating and fraudulently compiling ward councillor lists rather than reflecting democratic branch votes. Some aggrieved members even dragged their own party to court to contest the nomination process.
