The ANC in the Free State is threatening tough action against mayors of several struggling municipalities in the province who are refusing to obey its instructions to resign.

Last month, the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) announced that it had resolved that priority interventions will be undertaken in Mafube, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Nketoana, Nala local and Lejweleputswa district municipalities.

The party cited persistent disclaimers, weak leadership and poor governance undermining service delivery, including allegations of corruption.

According to the ANC, redeployment would be effected in all these municipalities and its provincial working committee (PWC) will pronounce on the decision. It also expects the province’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department to take action where allegations of corruption and malfeasance have been uncovered.

In addition, positions in senior management, also referred to as section 56 or 57 managers, must be filled before the end of 2025 with competent and ethical professionals, the ANC told the municipalities it runs in the Free State.

However, the ANC’s instructions to resign have not been followed by all its deployees and forced provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng to write to Veronica Ntakumbana and Dimakatso Modise, the mayors of Lejweleputswa and Masilonyana, respectively.

Moqhaka mayor Toy Mokatsane and his Mafube counterpart Tlhoare Motsoeneng were also not spared.

In the letters, Polediso Motsoeneng said the mayors refused to submit their resignations and that their conduct was tantamount to defiance and violation of the ANC constitution.

“The PWC as empowered by rule 25.60 has decided to summarily suspend your membership pending the outcome of disciplinary processes to be instituted against you,” the party wrote to Modise and Mokatsane this week.

Tlhoare Motsoeneng declined to comment on his suspension while Ntakumbana did not respond to requests for comment. Modise and Mokatsane could not be reached for comment.

Thabang Tseuoa, provincial secretary of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Free State, said the union has long raised concerns about the terrible state of municipalities across the province.

“The majority of our municipalities have collapsed or are on the verge of collapse, with basic services severely affected, workers unpaid or underpaid, and financial mismanagement rife. The continued failure of municipalities to deliver on their mandate has had a direct and devastating impact on our members and on communities at large,” he said.

Tseuoa said SAMWU therefore welcomes any genuine and decisive efforts by the ANC to correct the situation including the recall of mayors and senior officials where governance has failed.

“However, we emphasise that such corrective measures must be implemented in a manner that is transparent, fair, and equitable, and not merely factional or politically expedient,” he stated.

On some ANC mayors’ refusal to resign after being recalled by the party, Tseuoa said SAMWU believes the ANC has its internal processes to manage such matters, and the union will respect those processes as they unfold.

“At this stage, we are not aware of any deployed ANC mayors in the Free State who have defied the recall instruction. If any such defiance does emerge, we trust that the ANC will act accordingly to uphold accountability and restore integrity in local governance,” he said.

ANC Free State spokesperson Thabo Meeko had not responded to requests for comment on Thursday afternoon.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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