African Content Movement (ACM) leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng is being approached by other political parties in the council to take over from ANC mayor Malekula Melato.
Former SABC boss and African Content Movement (ACM) leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng is being courted to take over the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality as political parties scramble to fill the mayoral vacuum.
The Mail & Guardian understands that Motsoeneng is being approached by other political parties in the council to take over from ANC mayor Malekula Melato, who was ousted two weeks ago in a motion of no confidence.
The M&G has also learnt that Motsoeneng has not entirely ruled out the move but has raised concerns that if he or one of his councillors were to take over the mayoral chair only months before the upcoming local government elections, they would not be able to make significant changes — potentially denting their chances.
The M&G also understands that the ACM would prefer to negotiate for the speaker or chief whip position rather than the mayoralty.
Speaking to the M&G, the characteristically blunt Motsoeneng said: “No, no, no, mchana [my brother]. I want to take over properly … I’m waiting for the new elections so I can take over properly, not through the back door.
“Mchana, you must have a majority. People must vote for you to be there. But if you come in through the back door and you are in a one-, two- or three-seat party and then you are the mayor, it doesn’t make sense.
“I have done it all. I am known internationally and I have outgrown being a mayor in that area. If anything, I may go for premier in 2029 but not a municipality.
“I want to groom people who want to be the leaders of tomorrow. I’m looking for young people whom I am going to groom so that they can go there and deliver.”
Two weeks ago, the council descended into chaos when the ANC walked out after its mayor, Melato, was voted out in a motion of no confidence. This appeared to be an attempt to break quorum and prevent the council from electing a new mayor.
The Maluti-a-Phofung municipality is made up of 70 councillors. After the ANC councillors walked out, 36 councillors remained, meaning the council could sit and vote for a new mayor.
However, during the voting process, the Democratic Alliance also walked out, leaving the remaining councillors unable to meet quorum and proceed with the vote.
Despite this, the councillors who remained elected MAP16 Civic Movement councillor Paratlane Motloung as the new mayor.
But the victory was short-lived after municipal manager advocate Mzwakhe Mofokeng released a statement distancing the municipality from Motloung’s appointment.
Motloung then approached the Bloemfontein High Court to seek recognition as mayor. His application was dismissed with costs.
On Wednesday, the council was set to elect a new mayor but proceedings again descended into chaos and were postponed until Friday.
The M&G understands that Melato is continuing with her duties as mayor but councillors have told the publication that, in their view, the municipality did not have a mayor.
Maluti-a-Phofung has long been plagued by governance instability, service delivery failures and infrastructure collapse, making the mayoral contest a high-stakes political prize before the local government elections.
Speaking to the M&G two weeks ago, ACM secretary-general Mandla Holley said the party was negotiating with other parties but had not been approached to take over the mayoral position.
When asked whether it would be a good idea for the party to take over the mayoral position before the local government elections, he said it would benefit the ACM because it had clear ideas on how to improve service delivery.
Holley said many things had gone wrong in the municipality and that despite the funding provided by the treasury, there have been no visible improvements.
He said the municipality needed a leadership that took basic issues seriously because it was not always about money.
“Some of the issues just require equipment and the equipment is there in the form of the yellow fleet. But when you look at the rural roads, they are in a terrible state. We have the equipment, yet it is not being used.
“We have equipment and employees who are supposed to operate the yellow fleet but they are not doing their jobs. So what are we paying them for? Why did we acquire this equipment if it is not going to benefit our communities?
“At times, when someone passes away in the villages, undertakers or ambulances cannot access those areas. People are forced to carry bodies for metres just to reach the undertaker’s vehicle. It’s embarrassing.”
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