By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – The South African National Civic Organisation in the North West has launched a decisive bid to reclaim its influence, appointing interim regional committees to rebuild fractured structures and restore its standing as a grassroots force.
The move, announced by the organisation’s Interim Provincial Coordinating Committee (IPCC), signals an urgent push to stabilise SANCO following years of internal divisions, factionalism and declining community impact.
Provincial convenor Paul Sebegoe said the newly installed regional committees will spearhead efforts to reunify the civic movement and re-establish functional structures across the province.
“The unity of the civic movement is sacrosanct if SANCO is to reclaim its position as a centre of influence and fulfil its historic mission as the vanguard of communities,” Sebegoe said.
He warned that internal gatekeeping and factional battles that have weakened the organisation will not be tolerated during the rebuilding process.
The resolutions were adopted during an IPCC meeting on 9 April 2026, marking what leaders describe as a turning point for the embattled civic body.
Sebegoe acknowledged the scale of the challenge, stressing that rebuilding SANCO would require aggressive grassroots mobilisation and visible action on community concerns.
“We will spare no effort to confront corruption and crime, while advancing practical solutions to unemployment and the collapse of service delivery in municipalities,” he said.
The interim structures, selected on the basis of experience, leadership capacity, inclusivity and geographic representation, are expected to move swiftly to establish zonal branches within days — a critical step in restoring SANCO’s presence on the ground.
The reorganisation comes as pressure mounts on civic formations to play a more assertive role in holding municipalities accountable and addressing deepening socio-economic challenges across the North West.
