Officials have sought intervention from Luthuli House while they remain in office

By: Abigail Visagie

Seven recently dismissed municipal troikas in the Free State are defying the African Nation al Congress (ANC) by refusing to vacate office as directed by the party provincial leadership, thus sparking a governance standoff in key municipalities in the province. Two weeks ago, the ANC provincial leadership an nounced the removal of seven troikas -comprising mayors, speakers, and chief whips - citing poor per formance and undermining service delivery. Journal News can confirm that disposed officials have not yet vacated the respective offices, despite their deadline to do so having lapsed at midday this past Wednes day. Instead, the affected parties have written to ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula appealing for inter vention - a move that is believed will trigger a series of legal and political battles. A letter allegedly penned to Mbalula by Mafube Lo cal Municipality mayor Tlhoare Motsoeneng confirms that the disposed mayor received a communiqué from provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng on Tuesday, notifying him of his immediate redeploy ment from his mayoral position. The letter further reveals that the provincial leadership instructed him to submit his resignation by Wednesday, no later than 12h00. Tlhoare has accused the provincial leadership of failing to support the municipality during well-docu mented challenges. “There has never been a situation where the pro vincial leadership had to institute disciplinary action against me, nor have I been confronted about any incapacity. “The only engagements arose from clashes be tween the Chief Whip and myself. Earlier this year, when we were summoned before the PWC, the Chief Whip claimed he had issues with me because I was allegedly orchestrating the removal of his wife from the municipality,” Tlhoare wrote in the letter. He added that he could not understand the letter from Motsoeneng, which instructed him to resign with immediate effect, therefore questioning what had informed the decision. Nala LM, Mayor Nozililo Mashiya Mafube LM Mayor, Thloare Motsoeneng because his decision will be overturned by comrade Mbalula, and there is nothing he can do,” said one source. Speaking to Journal News yesterday, Political ana lyst, Professor Sethulego Matebesi, stated that mem bers instructed to resign should not be branded “de f iant,” but allowed to exercise their democratic right by engaging the ANC’s national leadership. Matebesi, however, also warned that such appeals risk further tarnishing the ruling party’s image ahead of next year’s fiercely contested election. “I therefore submit my appeal to the SG (Mbalula) so that the matter can be dealt with accordingly. I am available to be called and to respond in person where clarity is required,” pleaded Tlhoare. The provincial secretary, Polediso Motsoeneng, announced in August during a post-Provincial Exec utive Committee (PEC) briefing that seven municipal troikas in the Free State would be reshuffled. He said St. Bernard’s Sex Predator… Learners speak out despite alleged threats from school Principal Continues from Page 1 norm everywhere. Another pupil, Kgomotso Mokobe, who was in grade 12 at the St Bernard’s received a direct message on social media from the same educator confessing his undying love and feelings for the pupil. “He once called me to his office and asked me to close the door. When I refused to, he closed it himself and confessed his feelings directly to me, mentioning that he felt this way about me since I was grade 8. I only decided to act upon his feelings now because it was the right time,” said Mokobe. Emotions of disgust flushed through Mokobe as she recalled this incident. “I was very uncomfortable and just wanted to exit the room, but he forced the door close and begged to speak to me,” said Mokobe. On 21 August 2025, Mapaseka Feldman, was also followed on social media by the very same educa tor who harassed Mokobe. inappropriate for a teacher to send learners such derogatory content, my friend said maybe he mis took the girl in the video for me, but I still believed that it did not give him the right to send such sexual content to me.” Feldman briskly escaped a horrible experience with the educator by immediately blocking his messages and his profile. Ntswaki Mohlakoana, the mother of Lesedi, takes pride in her daughter speaking out against such violations and being a beacon of hope to other girls who might be afraid to speak up. the PEC had resolved to prioritise urgent intervention in Mafube, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Nketoana, Nala and Masilonyana local municipalities, as well as the Lejweleputswa District Municipality — areas plagued by persistent audit disclaimers, weak leadership, and corruption allegations that have crippled service de livery. This decision followed an oversight visit by Parlia ment’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Govern ance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), which exposed widespread dysfunction in municipalities, including billions in missing funds, sewage spills, illegal tenders, and critical staff shortages. Parliamentary committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize described the state of Free State munici palities as “disastrous,” a view echoed in the Audi tor-General’s latest report, which flagged rampant irregular expenditure, lack of accountability, and nu merous audit disclaimers across the province. Yet, according to sources within the ANC’s pro vincial leadership, the removal of municipal troikas is less about governance and more about factional battles ahead of the party’s looming national general council (NGC) in December. “We are facing difficult times now where two fac t ions are looking to position themselves in the prov ince. Comrade Polediso is not going to win this fight “I am afraid we are going to witness yet another scenario where the ANC’s internal battles play out in public, dragging the party’s name through the mud for a long time. The question is, will they take the party to court if the secretary general’s response is not in their favour? That, I fear, will damage the party even further.” The unfolding dispute in the Mafube region under scores the deepening cracks within the ANC’s provin cial structures, where governance failures and politi cal manoeuvring increasingly collide. As the NGC approaches, the ANC faces a critical test. The first test pertains to whether the party can restore stability and credibility in troubled municipal ities or allow internal battles to further erode public trust.