BLOEMFONTEIN – ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s two day campaign to rally support for the party in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality for the upcoming Local Government Election, exposed him to the never-ending harsh socio-economic conditions. He rallied support in Botshabelo and Bloemfontein on Saturday and Sunday, going door-to-door.

Ramaphosa paid special visits to present blankets to people identified as party loyalists. In Bloemfontein he reached out to community via meetings in Caleb Motshabi, Grasland and Hillside View. The ANC believes engagements are a necessary vehicle to collaborate with communities to advance capable, responsive local government and build stronger communities.

Ramaphosa was confronted with an outcry over rampant unemployment among numerous people who are still in the working-age group between 20 and 55.

He heard the echoes of the negative impact of unemployment during his engagement with local residents that included selected white families residing at Hillside View settlement, affectionately known as Matatiele. The settlement is predominantly black and has few white residents. One of them, a man, told Ramaphosa about his ongoing struggle to get employment, responding to the ANC president when asked what he was doing for a living.

The majority are low-income residents staying in houses built by government. Ramaphosa was impressed witnessing a diverse community, despite pressing challenges the ANC-led municipality is facing. His party is affected by the exclusion of candidates in the Mangaung Metro and faced with a stiff contest in this highly contested municipality in the upcoming election set for 4 November.

According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data for the second quarter of 2026, 39.8% of the working-age population in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality was employed. The only metro in the Free State, it suffers high youth unemployment, low economic diversification, and ongoing administrative and infrastructure decay.

These challenges continue to cripple the creation of sustainable jobs and investments opportunities across three major towns — Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu — which have several dysfunctional factories.

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