The embattled Mohokare mayor, Zingisa Mgawuli, has been removed by the ANC in the province, while the Nala mayor, Nozililo Mashiya, was suspended during a council meeting on Tuesday (8/4) as the province grapples with growing protests, service delivery breakdowns, and allegations of municipal corruption.

Mgawuli’s was removed after a series of protests over the municipality’s inability to meet basic service delivery expectations. The municipality, which includes the towns of Zastron, Rouxville, and Smithfield, has repeatedly failed to make salary payments, as well as payments to essential third parties, including medical aid providers, pension funds, and funeral policies.

Additionally, the residents have been left without consistent access to water, further exacerbating tension within the community.

The party’s decision to remove Mgawuli was mainly motivated by the poor state of service delivery, said ANC provincial spokesperson Thabo Meeko.

“We’ve committed that we are going to do extra-ordinary political work to ensure that we turn around the situation at our municipalities. Also, our interest in service delivery itself, the extent to which the structures of the ANC on the ground are very clear to the municipalities, who are able to be directed by the ANC structures to service our people. That’s the reason why we were elected into power.

“After having looked at a number of them in the province, it’s not only Mohokare, there are a number of decisions that were taken and for now, this one is being implemented. The ANC decided that the mayor of the Mohokare municipality, comrade Zingisa, must be redeployed.”

Meeko also assured the public that the removal of Mgawuli would be carefully managed to avoid further destabilisation at the ailing municipality. He also stated that the removal of Mgawuli is due to the municipality’s continuing struggles with political instability and financial mismanagement, which have led to regular worker strikes and protests over unpaid salaries and non-payments to third parties.

Nala Mayor Nozililo Mashiya was suspended during a council meeting. Photo: Facebook

Meanwhile, Nala mayor Mashiya and two key officials – Municipal Manager Scotch Lehloenya and CFO Mochela Lekitlane – were also removed from their positions following allegations of severe financial mismanagement and a breakdown in service delivery, which led to community protests.

Local leader Thulo Majoe, a shop steward in the municipality, pointed to the collapse of service delivery and irregular payments as a primary reason for their removal. “The removal of the trio is a result of the collapse of service delivery, which sparked community protests.”

He also accused the municipal officials of financial misconduct, claiming Lehloenya and Lekitlane had facilitated the transfer of about R2.4 million to an unknown account, which was initially reported to have been paid to Vaal Central Water. However, it was later revealed that the money had been paid to an unnamed individual.

Lehloenya also allegedly used R2.2 million in municipal funds to purchase tipper trucks, only for the trucks to be returned three months later after the dealership failed to receive payment.

The situation in Nala (which includes Bothaville, Kgotsong, Wesselsbron, and Monyakeng) has been dire for some time. Residents recently handed over a memorandum of grievances to Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, as well as to Cogta and Human Settlements MEC Saki Mokoena. 

??BREAKING NEWS?? ANC councillors in the embattled Nala Local Municipality in Free State have defied party lines, joining opposition parties to pass a resolution for the immediate suspension of Mayor Nosililo Mashiya, Municipal Manager Sekonyela Lehloenya, and CFO Mochela… pic.twitter.com/byXWvDRkgj

— Insider Chronicle (@InsiderC_ZA) April 8, 2025

This followed a total shutdown that severely disrupted municipal operations, schools, and local businesses.

OFM News earlier reported these protests reached a boiling point when residents demanded action from the provincial leadership to address their grievances.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg