Months of uncertainty surrounding the controversial Bodulo Mothong housing project could come to an end today when the Free State High Court delivers judgment in a closely watched legal battle that could determine the future of hundreds of vulnerable families awaiting relocation to safer living cond...
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party plans to ‘headhunt’ mayoral candidates and allow communities to propose names ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mbalula made the remarks on Friday during a media briefing at Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre.
The ANC’s top leadership convened a special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to address tensions with the South African Communist Party (SACP) following its decision to contest elections independently.
He confirmed that branch general meetings (BGMs) for the 2026 local government election candidate selection process began on April 1, 2026.
Mbalula said the branches are expected to proceed with nominations in line with party guidelines, ensuring broad participation, transparency and organisational discipline.
“To further the transformation of developmental local government, the ANC in this election is taking extraordinary steps to ensure leadership deployed to municipalities is capable, ethical, disciplined and accountable,” Mbalula said.
He said the party was reconfiguring its councillor and mayoral candidate selection processes, combining internal democracy with strategic deployment.
At councillor level, Mbalula said the ANC reaffirmed the role of branches as the basic units of democracy and community organisation.
He said candidate selection would be rooted in branch general meetings, supported by structured community engagement allowing residents to assess and express confidence in prospective ward councillors.
“This process ensures that candidates emerge not only through organisational processes, but through community legitimacy, guided by clear criteria of integrity, capability, political commitment and service to the people,” he said.
Mbalula said the party’s electoral committee, provincial list committees and vetting structures would ensure candidates met requirements including qualifications, ethical standing and organisational discipline.
He said the approach marked a break from “gatekeeping, manipulation and narrow interests”, and reaffirmed that public representatives must be both products of the movement and servants of the people.
On mayoral candidates, Mbalula said the ANC was launching a centralised, competency-based selection process for executive leadership in key municipalities.
He said the system would be coordinated through the office of the secretary-general, supported by a dedicated secretariat and working with local government intervention structures to ensure consistency across provinces.
The ANC would also embark on a national headhunting process to identify capable mayoral candidates from across society, he said.
This would include experienced public representatives, professionals, community leaders, government veterans and others with proven governance experience.
Mbalula said the party would also open a window for public submissions, allowing communities and stakeholders to propose individuals they believed were suitable for mayoral positions.
He said the process would be complemented by consultation with provincial and regional structures to ensure candidates reflected both national priorities and local conditions.
According to him, a rigorous assessment process would follow, including competency-based interviews, verification of qualifications, background checks and lifestyle audits where necessary.
“These measures are designed to ensure that candidates are not only politically grounded, but possess the technical capability, administrative competence, ethical integrity and leadership capacity required to manage complex municipalities,” he said.
Mbalula said deployment was “not an entitlement, but a responsibility”.
He said following the process, the ANC national officials will finalise and ratify mayoral candidates based on credibility, competence and governance ability.
He said selected candidates would undergo structured training, including programmes at the OR Tambo School of Leadership, and would be required to develop local programmes aligned to the ANC’s 2026 manifesto.
The process will cover eight metropolitan municipalities and 22 secondary cities.
Mbalula said all ANC mayors would be required to sign binding mayoral delivery agreements setting out performance targets, timelines and measurable outcomes, with ongoing monitoring and consequences for underperformance, including possible recalls or reconfiguration of leadership.
“This marks a decisive shift towards a culture of consequence management and delivery,” he said.
“It is not enough to deliver; the people must experience, recognise and trust that delivery is taking place.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says its federal congress, which will be held this weekend, will not only be its biggest yet, but also its slickest.
Besides electing a new party leader, the congress will also grapple with the highest number of policy proposals ever submitted to it.
On Thursday, voting began for positions within the Federal Council, the body that oversees the governance of the party, and which will see one of the party’s most well-known leaders, Helen Zille, replaced by one of three candidates.
The presiding officers for the federal congress said they are satisfied that all is on track for the party’s most important event, which comes around every three years.
Before it elects a new party leader, it will grapple with constitutional amendments and vote on resolutions.
The bulk of the just under 2200 delegates will come from Gauteng and the Western Cape in line with the party’s electoral outcome at the last national election.
Presiding officer Werner Horn says the congress is a fair representation of the party’s members across all branches and provinces.
"Our federal constitution determines that no fewer than 45% of all delegates must represent branches, so that would mean they may not be public representatives of the party."
Horn is also running to replace Zille as Chairperson of the Federal Council, along with Neo Mokoena and Ashor Sarupen.
At least ten representatives at the congress will represent the DA's support base abroad.
President Cyril Ramaphosa sidestepped questions regarding the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (IPID) findings into the conduct of his lead personal protector, who is alleged to have covered up the theft of foreign currency at his farm.
A recently declassified report by the police watchdog recommends disciplinary action against Major General Wally Rhoode, the head of the Presidential Protection Unit.
Although the report was declassified last month after previously being held as "Top Secret," it was only made public on Friday.
IPID’s investigation focused specifically on the conduct of police officers following the 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, where approximately 580,000 US dollars was stolen.
The report reveals that Ramaphosa personally informed Rhoode about the theft shortly after it occurred. However, despite the high-stakes nature of the crime, a formal case was not opened until two years later.
The watchdog alleges that Rhoode bypassed official channels to lead an "off-the-books" operation to recover the stolen cash.
The report suggests that he utilised police resources for this unauthorised mission and failed to report the matter to the National Police Commissioner at the time.
When asked to comment on the damaging findings on Friday, Ramaphosa maintained a distance from the investigative process.
"The IPID report is what you would have read. I have nothing to do with it. It’s part of the process, and as I’ve always said, processes must play themselves out."
While IPID has recommended accountability for the Major General, the final outcome remains contested.
In September last year, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia informed Parliament that Rhoode had since been cleared of the allegations.
Livestock is vanishing, farmers are under strain, and security agencies are battling to keep pace as stock theft tightens its grip on the Free State’s agricultural heartland.
What was once sporadic rural crime has escalated into a coordinated, syndicate-driven operation, raising alarm over the province’s economic stability and food security. Farmers, police and civil organisations warn that the scale and sophistication of livestock theft is rapidly intensifying.
A breakthrough came on 30 March 2026, when police in Thaba Nchu recovered 17 stolen cattle and a vehicle at a residential property, leading to multiple arrests. While welcomed, such successes remain rare. Farmers argue that most interventions come too late, after significant losses have already occurred.
“This isn’t petty crime anymore — it’s organised,” says Free State farmer Johannes van der Walt, who recently lost over 100 cattle. Nationally, hundreds of thousands of animals are stolen each year, costing the sector millions and destabilising rural economies.
The networks behind the theft range from cross-border syndicates moving livestock into neighbouring countries to local groups selling stolen animals through informal markets. Authorities have urged better livestock marking, improved reporting, and stronger collaboration with Stock Theft Units, especially along vulnerable borders like Lesotho.
However, enforcement is widely viewed as reactive. Many cases go unreported due to slow police response, low recovery rates and weak conviction outcomes. Critics, including AfriForum’s Hennie Bekker, argue that official statistics understate the crisis and have called for investigations into alleged corruption within law enforcement.
Compounding the crisis is the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. Stolen, unvaccinated animals risk spreading the disease, threatening both local herds and export markets. Government has intensified vaccinations and movement controls, stressing biosecurity and traceability.
For farmers, the combined pressure of theft and disease is devastating. “We often recover livestock ourselves while waiting for police,” says Rabanyane Sechaba of the Young Farmers Association.
As 2026 unfolds, the Free State faces a dual threat — organised stock theft and disease — placing livelihoods, rural stability and the agricultural economy at risk.
An instant crackle of vinyl at the drop of the beat, followed by a Rhodes piano chord that lingers like cigarette smoke. By the second beat, you’re no longer in your living room—you’re at a rooftop party at 3 a.m. Six years into the industry, 27-year-old Lefu Jus t ice Lekoeneha, originally from Lesotho and now based in the Free State, is carving out a name as an all-round creative. He describes his sound as refined yet rebellious—a fusion where mash-ups, lounge textures and mature grooves meet streetwear sensibilities and sharp visual storytelling. More than just a DJ, authenticity defines him. “I’ve always been drawn to unique things—stuff that not your regular individual is into. Whether it was fashion or my music taste, everything always stood out,” Lekoeneha shared. For him, DJing is far from random. It’s a craft. “People don’t treat DJing with the same amount of respect and honour as other art forms. Mixing, song selection, crowd reading, timing—all of those are a combination of art,” he said. His distinct sound—a blend of lounge and soulful instrumentation—came to him almost by accident. “I would randomly listen to music, then one day I stumbled upon this sound. I had no idea how to define it. One afternoon, while playing at a fashion market, someone suggested lounge music—and everything clicked. I realised, this is it. This is me,” he said. Looking ahead, Lekoeneha’s ambitions stretch far beyond local stages. “In five years, I see myself as an established and respected DJ, known for delivering unique and memorable sets at major events across provinces and internationally. I see myself performing on big stages, including iconic platforms like the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, sharing my sound with mature audiences,” he said. “I’m not just playing music—I’m curating experiences, building a brand, and connecting people through sound.” Through his event platform, JUST US, Lekoeneha is also making waves—hosting high-quality gatherings that spotlight cutting-edge DJs and creative culture. The platform doubles as a listening session space, bringing together a community that appreciates fresh, boundary-pushing sounds. “Through consistency, growth and passion, I’ve built a name that represents authenticity and excellence in the DJ industry,” he emphasised. Something out of the ordinary—Justice doesn’t just play music. He sets the tone.
