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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Free State says it welcomes the African National Congress’s (ANC) decision to remove six Mayors in the respective municipalities. The party says it is vindicated by this decision as it has been pointing out the incompetency of the ANC for years.
The ANC on Thursday, 21 August 2025, announced during a media briefing at its headquarters in Bloemfontein that it will be redeploying its municipal leaders in six municipalities in the province, including Nala, Nketoana, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Mafube and Lejweleputswa District Municipalities.
The Secretary General of the ANC Cde Polediso Motsoeneng said the municipalities are plagued with persistent disclaimers; weak leadership and poor governance undermine service delivery including allegations of corruption.
“Redeployment will be effected in all these mentioned municipalities. The PWC will pronounce on this decision. The provincial CoGTA is expected to take action where allegations of corruption and malfeasance have been identified. Senior management (Section 56/57) positions must be filled before the end of 2025 with competent, ethical professionals,” said Motsoeneng.
The DA has welcomed the decision and put the blame squarely on the ANC, saying the ANC is the cause of the collapse in local government in the Free State.
David Mc Kay, the DA spokesperson for COGTA in the Free State Legislature says yesterday’s announcement means that several municipalities, including Nala, Nketoana, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Mafube and Lejweleputswa, may be without Mayors.
He said somewhere between the factionalism, infighting, and allegations of fraud and corruption, the ANC must now decide from its shrinking pool of cadres who the organisation will present to the people as successors in these municipalities.
“While the changes are welcomed, we remain observant of the fact that it takes more than one reshuffle to turn a municipality around. There must be a consistent effort to introduce competent individuals into critical roles, root out corruption, and motivate those guilty of financial misconduct to face the full might of the law.
According to the Auditor General’s (AG) annual Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) reports, no local municipality in the province has received a clean audit in over seven years,” said Mc Kay.
“The Free State has been brought to its knees by deeply rooted corruption, incompetence, and a cadre deployment policy that helps to prop up a few elites. At the same time, the majority of residents are left to suffer under their rule.
The DA’s track record proves that when you put clean governance, accountability, and the people first, municipal service delivery is possible. Residents of the Free State deserve municipalities that work and a party that works for them,” he continued.
Mc Kay says the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) will be pivotal for service delivery in the province, and residents must decide whether they want more of the same or to vote for a chance at change.
