Arguably one of the country's most hotly contested provinces, the North West has been claimed as the home of the African National Congress  (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the lead up to next month's 8 May general election.

Both Cyril Ramaphosa, leader of the ANC and Julius Malema of the EFF have crisscrossed the platinum province to drum up support for their parties ahead of the election day. Ramaphosa held an election blitz in most of the major towns and Malema held closed meetings with party members in all four regions of the North West before the party manifesto launch.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa at the launch of his party manifesto in Rustenburg on March 2, said the North West was the home of the ANC, while Julius Malema, told party supporters in Lethabong that the "EFF is North West and North West is the EFF". 

Malema told party members at the North West manifesto launch in Lethobong, Rustenburg on March 31. 


However, Ramaphosa assured ANC members that the party would win North West.

 he said. 

The ANC goes into the May election limping. In North West it was rocked by factions that nearly cost it the Rustenburg local municipality in the 2016 municipal election. Rustenburg is the only hung municipality in North West, which the ANC controls through a coalition with Botho Community Movement (BCM), African Independent Congress (AIC) and Freedom Front Plus.

As we gear up closer to the elections, will the ANC mainatain its grip on power in a province where divison within the ANC has paralysed its ability to mount an effective camphain or will the 08 May elections declare oppositions parties as the "happy" people?

-JP