Community members in Robega are continuing their call for leadership change, demanding fresh elections after what they say has been 15 years without a renewed electoral mandate.
The Royal Bafokeng Administration (RBA) has acknowledged the concerns. According to the administration, the last village council elections in Robega were held in 2011, with the five-year term expiring in 2016.
Following North-West Unlocked enquiry RBA responded.
Bashi Makgale, Director of Operations in the Office of Kgosi said that concerns regarding village leadership were raised during Dumela Phokeng engagements in 2025 and were further discussed during a community meeting in May 2026. Following an investigation into complaints submitted by residents, the administration said most allegations could not be substantiated due to insufficient evidence.
However, the RBA noted concerns regarding allegedly inflammatory and politically charged remarks made by the chairperson. The administration said the matter was addressed and the chairperson was formally reprimanded.”The matter has been escalated to the Office of Kgosi for mediation and resolution. A community meeting will be called in July 2026 to further address this matter,” said Makgale.Makgale added that the administration remains committed to finding a resolution through the appropriate governance structures while encouraging residents to continue engaging through established channels.For now, community members maintain that their primary demand is for elections to be held without further delay, while the RBA prepares for further engagements aimed at resolving the dispute.
North-West Unlocked had scheduled an interview with the current Robega community leadership on Wednesday, 24 June, to afford him an opportunity to respond to concerns raised by residents regarding leadership and governance issues.However, the interview could not proceed as planned after a group of community members arrived at the premises shortly before the interview commenced, demanding access to the community stamp and raising their grievances with the leadership.
Police confirmed that they attended the incident at Robega on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. When at the scene, police negotiated the situation and it was then resolved. No criminal case was opened,” said police spokespersons Anne Magakoe.
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