By Johnathan Paoli
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State has taken the drastic step of removing mayors, speakers and chief whips in seven struggling municipalities, citing persistent governance failures, financial irregularities and allegations of corruption.
The decision, announced on Thursday following a special sitting of the provincial executive committee (PEC) in Mangaung, affects the municipalities of Mafube, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Nketoana, Nala, Masilonyana and the Lejweleputswa District.
ANC provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng said the reshuffle was part of a wider intervention to stabilise municipalities plagued by persistent audit disclaimers, weak leadership and poor service delivery.
“Communities have endured years of poor governance and allegations of corruption. The ANC has a responsibility to act decisively to restore credibility and ensure basic services reach our people,” Motsoeneng told the media.
Local government in the Free State has long been under scrutiny for collapsing infrastructure, mismanagement of public funds and widespread political infighting.
Many of the municipalities affected by the latest reshuffle have been the subject of repeated interventions by the provincial and national governments.
Mafube Local Municipality, which includes Frankfort, has been under administration since 2017 and is notorious for financial mismanagement and unpaid Eskom debt.
Moqhaka, which covers Kroonstad, has faced mounting community protests over water shortages, sewage spills and pothole-ridden roads.
Lejweleputswa District has drawn criticism for failing to coordinate development across the mining towns of Welkom, Virginia and Odendaalsrus.
Motsoeneng conceded that municipal leadership failures had compounded administrative weaknesses:
“The Troika, mayors, speakers and chief whips are meant to provide political oversight and direction. Where they have failed, service delivery has collapsed. Our decision is not about targeting individuals, but about collective renewal and accountability,” he said.
A PEC report flagged corruption allegations as a recurring issue in several of the affected municipalities.
In Letsemeng, where the ANC narrowly held onto control in the 2021 local government elections, councillors have faced accusations of irregular tender awards.
In Masilonyana in Theunissen, residents have for years complained of “tenderpreneurs” siphoning funds meant for water and sanitation projects.
While Motsoeneng did not name individual councillors implicated in wrongdoing, he confirmed that the PEC had directed provincial structures to cooperate with formal investigations, including the use of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act, which allows the provincial government to probe maladministration and fraud.
The ANC’s move comes less than a year after President Cyril Ramaphosa warned during the January 8th statement that the party risked losing public trust unless it dealt with corruption and incompetence in local government.
With the 2026 municipal elections looming, the Free State leadership is under pressure to demonstrate renewal.
Motsoeneng linked the reshuffle to the ANC’s broader “renewal project,” which seeks to strengthen governance, deliver on election manifesto commitments and reconnect with disillusioned voters.
“The ANC is taking a hard but necessary path. Renewal means unlearning bad practices, restoring ethical leadership and focusing on urgent community needs such as water, electricity, road maintenance, job creation and support for township economies. We cannot go into 2026 carrying the same mistakes of the past,” he said.
The PEC discussed relations with alliance partners, including the South African Municipal Workers Union and the SA National Civic Organisation, both of whom have raised alarms about collapsing service delivery in small towns.
The provincial leadership committed to strengthening alliance forums at regional and local level to ensure accountability and better communication with communities.
Motsoeneng further revealed that a “war room” for monitoring and evaluation would be established to track service delivery progress and assess the performance of newly appointed municipal leadership.
The ANC insists its latest intervention marks a turning point, describing its aim as restoring trust and putting municipalities back on a path of stability, accountability and service to the people.
The provincial working committee is expected to announce replacement mayors, speakers and chief whips in the coming weeks.
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