– DA questions efficacy of Limpopo Investment Conference amid municipal chaos.
– Billions pledged, little realised: Only 15.7% of R452.38 billion in previous investment pledges has materialised.
– Municipal failure threatens investment and jobs.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo questions the value of yet another investment conference while ANC-run municipalities remain in chaos, unable to provide the reliable water, electricity, roads and infrastructure that businesses need to invest, grow and create jobs.
Limpopo cannot attract investment through conferences while driving it away through failing local government.
The province’s problem is not a lack of investment potential. It is the failure to turn years of investment pledges into meaningful economic growth and sustainable jobs.
Government’s own figures raise serious questions. Of the R452.38 billion pledged at investment conferences between 2021 and 2025, only R71.058 billion, or 15.7%, has so far been realised.
Premier Phophi Ramathuba has herself acknowledged that investment commitments must translate into actual projects, growing businesses and jobs, rather than remain announcements at conferences.
The question is how the Premier intends to achieve this target while so many of Limpopo’s municipalities cannot provide the basic services and infrastructure that investment depends on.
Despite Limpopo’s enormous potential in agriculture, mining and tourism, its economy grew by an average of just 0.6% annually between 2015 and 2024, compared with approximately 2.3% across sub-Saharan Africa.
The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey confirms the scale of the jobs crisis. Official unemployment stands at 32.0%, rising to 46.7% under the expanded definition.
Statistics South Africa’s migration data and the Limpopo Provincial Government’s own Strategic Plan confirm significant migration from Limpopo to Gauteng, as people seek employment and better economic opportunities.
A significant part of the problem lies in Limpopo’s failing ANC-run municipalities.
Businesses cannot be expected to invest and expand where water and electricity supplies are unreliable, sewage runs down streets, roads deteriorate and municipal infrastructure is neglected or stolen.
Years of cadre deployment, corruption and financial mismanagement have weakened municipal capacity, driven out technical skills and left essential infrastructure without proper maintenance.
A maintenance budget cut today becomes a burst pipe tomorrow. An unfilled engineering position leaves critical infrastructure without proper oversight.
Municipalities end up responding to emergencies that should have been prevented.
Residents and businesses already pay for municipal services, yet must pay again for water storage, backup electricity and other alternatives. Businesses lose trading hours, face rising costs and struggle to expand. Investors face uncertainty, and communities lose opportunities for jobs.
Municipal failure makes people poorer, discourages investment and destroys jobs.
Fixing local government means ending cadre deployment, restoring technical capacity, enforcing sound financial management, maintaining infrastructure and holding those responsible for failure accountable.
The success of Limpopo’s investment conferences must be measured not by billions pledged, but by investments realised, businesses growing and sustainable jobs created.
The 4 November municipal elections bring the failing state of Limpopo’s ANC-run municipalities into sharp focus. We need responsible, capable municipal leaders who will restore reliable services and create the conditions for investment, economic growth and jobs.
Stop the chaos. Start service delivery. Get Limpopo working – and create jobs.