By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mpumalanga’s Lekwa Local Municipality in Standerton, has been taken over by another party for the first time since democracy.
The Lekwa Municipality had been under the ANC for many years, but the Lekwa Community Forum (LCF) challenged the ruling party after several protests in the area.
The community of Lekwa had been protesting over the years about lack of service delivery.
Delane Thabethe of the Lekwa Community Forum was elected mayor and the speaker is Oliver Phiri. The EFF’s Dumisani Msibi is chief whip.
In Mpumalanga the ANC had failed to win with an outright majority in three municipalities including Lekwa, Steve Tshwete and Govan Mbeki.
This is the second municipality to fall into the hands of a civic movement after Maluti-a-Phofung in the Free State saw MAP16 Civic Movement removing the ANC from office.
MAP16 was formed by ex-ANC councillors who were expelled from the party in 2018 after lifting the lid on corruption.
MAP16 saw its leader Gilbert Mokotso becoming mayor of the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung municipality in the Free State.
Meanwhile in a deal between the ANC and the EFF in the Metsimoholo municipality – which includes Sasolburg – the EFF’s Selloane Motjeane was elected mayor.