{
  "id": 9985813,
  "title": "Shivambu promises to wipe out poor households' municipal debt if his new party wins",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/shivambu-promises-to-wipe-out-poor-households-municipal-debt-if-his",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-26T13:07:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/news/2026-09-26-shivambu-promises-to-wipe-out-poor-households-municipal-debt-if-his-new-party-wins/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Floyd Shivambu, has pledged to clear the municipal debts of impoverished and child-headed households if his newly formed Afrika Mayibuye Movement (AMM) party secures victory in the upcoming local government elections on November 4. Shivambu unveiled this bold promise at the launch of the AMM's election manifesto in Thembisa, a township within the Ekurhuleni municipality. He claimed that the debts would be cleared via lawful municipal procedures, with pensioners and low-income households receiving the most substantial rebates permissible by law.\n\nAccording to Shivambu, Mayibuye councils would manage any dilapidated structures like schools, clinics, police stations, and roads, regardless of the sector responsible for their maintenance. He emphasized that if a facility fell into disrepair, the residents would not face separate spheres of government but rather a singular failure to address the issue. Shivambu, who co-founded the EFF with Julius Malema and served as its deputy president for a decade, defected to former President Jacob Zuma's MKP in August 2024. He was subsequently dismissed from his position and launched the AMM in September.\n\nThe party chose Thembisa as the launch site because it epitomizes the failure of local government to serve its people. Residents of Thembisa endure dry taps, water tankers, sewage in the streets, and malfunctioning streetlights, while the City of Ekurhuleni admits that upgrading bulk sewers in Thembisa will continue until 2028. Shivambu highlighted that parliamentary audits revealed critical information could not be verified during the 2024/25 financial year, underspending of conditional grants, and withholding of national funding due to slow project progress. He argued that unspent grant money translates to unpatched roads, un-upgraded sewers, unserviced settlements, and lost job opportunities.\n\nShivambu assured that Mayibuye councils would employ their own plumbers, electricians, and road crews instead of relying on outside contractors. He also cautioned the party's candidates against using the platform for personal gain, such as obtaining titles, salaries without service, or tenders for friends. Shivambu urged candidates to refrain from disappearing after election day. He vowed that the AMM would contest local government elections nationwide, with Ekurhuleni being a primary target. Shivambu declared that Thembisa does not require more sympathy; it requires a functioning government. He reiterated that Ekurhuleni can, must, and will be won by a disciplined organization, honest leadership, and a program that resonates with the people.",
  "summary": "Floyd Shivambu has promised to cancel the municipal debt of poor and child-headed households if his new party wins in the November 4 local government elections.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}