Earlier, the party’s provincial leadership decided to suspend the mayors of Masilonyana (Theunissen), Moqhaka (Kroonstad) and Nketoana (Reitz) local municipalities, as well as the Lejweleputswa District Municipality (central Free State). The decision followed their refusal to comply with directives from the provincial leadership to step down due to poor performance.

The ANC’s national leadership says the move aims to strengthen local governance and service delivery structures in the run-up to next year’s local government elections.

During a media briefing on Tuesday (12/11), ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the NWC had endorsed the reconfiguration of municipalities in the Free State as part of a local government action plan.

“In the Free State, we have intervened in Lejweleputswa, Letsemeng (Petrusburg), Mafube (Frankfort), Masilonyana, Moqhaka, Nala (Bothaville), and Nketoana. This is aligned with the ANC’s commitment to strengthening local governance, improving service delivery, and ensuring accountability to communities,” said Mbalula.

“The ANC continues to prioritise ethical leadership, capacity building, and stability in local government as essential to advancing the district development model and fulfilling the constitutional mandate of developmental governance,” he said.

The changes are expected to take effect in the coming weeks as part of an accelerated process to replace underperforming municipal leaders.

“We’ll hasten the process of appointing the replacements. We will reconfigure the troikas in certain municipalities in the Free State. We have also intervened in the North West province, mainly in Ditsobotla (Lichtenburg) and Greater Taung. The mayor of Taung will be recalled,” Mbalula said.

Mayors push back

OFM News previously reported that several of the affected mayors pushed back against the instructions to resign, escalating their grievances to the ANC’s national leadership and questioning the legitimacy of the provincial decisions. Among the most defiant were Tlhoare Motsoeneng from Mafube and Dimakatso Modise of Masilonyana. 

ANC interventions in the Free State come amid growing public frustration over poor service delivery and governance failures in the province. Masilonyana is among the municipalities that have been heavily scrutinised by members of parliament.

For years, the ruling party has faced criticism for neglecting local municipalities, leaving residents without access to basic services.

 • Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh