Coalition government looms in Lekwa as opposition parties plot ANC-EFF ousting
'They are not voting for the president of this country. They are voting for service delivery.'
Opposition parties and emerging political entities are collaborating to potentially overthrow the existing ANC-EFF coalition government in Lekwa Local Municipality, set to be determined during the upcoming municipal elections. The Independent Lekwa Party (ILP), the Democratic Alliance (DA), and the newly established Lekwa Liberation Movement (LBM), led by activist Collen Sikhakhane, are formulating a plan to wrest control of the Mpumalanga municipality.
A previous coalition, composed of the Lekwa Community Forum, EFF, DA, and smaller parties, previously ousted the ANC government in 2021; however, the political dynamics shifted when the EFF withdrew from the coalition and aligned with the ANC, aiding the party's return to power in the municipality. During a recent trip to the region, The Citizen interviewed representatives from various parties and movements striving to challenge the governing coalition.
The ILP's president, Corné Stoltz, stated that his party was willing to collaborate with other political organizations post-elections, provided their decisions prioritize resident interests. He emphasized the challenges faced by the municipality, including aging infrastructure, inadequate water treatment capacity, insufficient sewage treatment, and electricity supply struggles, leading to daily load shedding.
Stoltz criticized the 2026/27 budget for not allocating sufficient funds to address infrastructure issues, opting instead to spend on furniture and vehicles. The ILP also advocates for halting construction activities in Lekwa until the municipality's bulk infrastructure can support its growing population. Stoltz warned that infrastructure failures deter investment, force businesses to close, and make the municipality an unattractive prospect for potential investors.
The ILP's deputy president, Barbara Shepard, echoed Stoltz's concerns, asserting that local solutions were necessary to resolve the municipality's deteriorating service delivery problems. She emphasized that national political agendas imposed on local government were ineffective and required locally rooted leadership to understand residents' needs.
The DA councillor, Sithi Silosini, called on residents to vote wisely, addressing the prolonged water shortages impacting several communities. She specifically mentioned that some households in Extension 8 had gone months without reliable water supply. Silosini also alleged corruption related to water tanker services, suggesting that the prolonged water interruptions created opportunities for tanker operators to benefit.
The LBM's representative, Collen Sikhakhane, expressed readiness to participate in a coalition government, prioritizing job creation, a favorable environment for local businesses, and expanding economic opportunities. Young people and business owners were reportedly willing to vote for the LBM, according to Sikhakhane.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
