During a heated debate on the provincial government’s intervention in municipalities, DA MPL CJ Steyl accused ANC cadres of putting themselves and their party first while residents endure chronic service delivery backlogs. These include delayed access to clean water, inconsistent electricity supply, uncollected refuse and collapsing infrastructure.

Steyl claimed the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that, in the Bojanala District Municipality, political pressure is even being exerted on vulnerable workers. A local councillor allegedly forced EPWP beneficiaries to join the ANC by extorting R40 for party membership. 

“If selling ANC membership for a job opportunity is not vulgar enough, she then pockets the money because the ANC has come out to say: we don’t know about these members,” Steyl said.

Without consequence management or accountability, and until corrupt politicians and officials are issued with orange prison uniforms, Steyl added, local government will continue to fail in North West, regardless of whether R300 million or R2 billion is spent to build capacity in municipal finance departments.

Mahikeng has become a typical example of a collapsed state due to cadre deployment, he said.

OFM News previously reported that some municipalities in the province were allegedly under the control of armed individuals known as ‘inkabi’ (hitmen), with certain officials attempting to forcefully seize control of municipal operations.

In response to the deteriorating situation, the cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister, Velenkosi Hlabisa, recently intervened in one of the troubled municipalities. He urged councillors and officials to put the needs of residents first, emphasising that governance must return to a focus on public service rather than internal political battles.

Political analysts, however, warn the issues run deeper than poor management. Entrenched factionalism within the ANC has spilled over into local governance structures, creating paralysis within municipal councils and fuelling tensions that have led to the swift resignation or removal of several municipal managers.

These persistent power struggles, experts said, have severely weakened decision-making processes, undermined financial oversight and left municipalities unable to deliver even the most basic services.

Despite the grim picture, Hlabisa expressed cautious optimism, noting that intervention efforts could restore stability if political leaders commit to genuine accountability and place communities at the forefront of governance.

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OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh