Sixteen African National Congress (ANC) councillors from three struggling Vaal municipalities have dramatically broken ranks with their own party, publicly admitting that service delivery has collapsed. They are pleading with President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently authorise a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged corruption, maladministration and financial failures crippling Emfuleni, Sedibeng and Lesedi.
In an extraordinary and unsanctioned media briefing on Wednesday, May 13, the councillors described communities drowning in sewer spillages, uncollected waste, water leaks, potholes and deteriorating infrastructure, while accusing municipal officials of ignoring repeated complaints raised by ward councillors.
Some councillors claimed outspoken representatives were effectively “punished” for raising service delivery failures.
Ward 43 councillor Jacob Tladi said councillors had repeatedly escalated residents’ complaints internally, but little changed on the ground.
“We are raising issues affecting service delivery. Hence, in our memorandum, we cite issues that are affecting service delivery in particular,” said Tladi.
He said frustrations among councillors had intensified because communities blamed them daily for collapsing services while officials allegedly failed to act.
Another councillor claimed wards represented by vocal councillors were sidelined when concerns were raised aggressively inside the municipality.
The councillors said conditions had deteriorated to the point where they believed only presidential intervention could restore accountability and public trust.
“We are speaking about maladministration. We are speaking about the issue of corruption,” one councillor said.
“There’s a maladministration that is happening in the municipality of Emfuleni that we want you to intervene and investigate.”
The councillors said they were urging Ramaphosa to act with the same urgency shown in Mpumalanga, where the president previously signed SIU proclamations authorising investigations into allegations of corruption and maladministration in municipalities including Bushbuckridge and Mbombela.
The councillors openly admitted that residents had lost confidence in the municipality.
Ward 36 councillor Mpho Kodisang described the humiliation councillors faced daily from angry residents.
“It’s very painful to be a ward councillor when you move in your community,” said Kodisang.
Councillors further acknowledged that for years residents had continued reporting the same unresolved issues, including sewer spillages, illegal dumping, potholes and failing infrastructure, despite repeated complaints to municipal structures.
“Emfuleni is not clean. And one cannot claim to say Emfuleni is a nice municipality,” another councillor admitted.
The councillors also conceded that speaking publicly against their own municipality and ANC structures could trigger disciplinary action but insisted they were prepared to face the consequences.
“Whether we are disciplined, it’s fine. But at least there must be a voice that will speak to the community.” one councillor said.
Their public rebellion immediately triggered a sharp response from the ANC Sedibeng Region, which distanced itself from the briefing and warned that the matter would be handled internally.
“The ANC in Sedibeng has not sanctioned any media briefing by ANC councillors on this matter,” said ANC Sedibeng regional secretary Jason Mkhwane.
“All ANC councillors are bound by organisational discipline, caucus processes and the code of conduct signed by public representatives.”
The dramatic briefing comes months after The Star reported that Emfuleni executive mayor Sipho Radebe formally wrote to Ramaphosa requesting an SIU proclamation to investigate allegations of corruption and governance failures inside the municipality.
In his letter, Radebe raised serious allegations involving revenue collection, electricity management, fleet management, waste management, cemetery operations and supply chain processes.
The mayor also referenced complaints from residents in Roshnee involving alleged unlawful electricity disconnections, inaccurate billing, bribery and extortion involving municipal officials.
Radebe warned that Emfuleni lacked the resources to effectively investigate the allegations internally and said the SIU’s “legal mandate and forensic expertise are indispensable to ensuring a credible, thorough, and conclusive investigation that restores public trust and integrity in local governance”.
The Democratic Alliance said the councillors’ admissions confirmed what opposition parties and residents had warned about for years.
Kingsol Chabalala mayoral candidate in Emfuleni said the ANC councillors had effectively exposed the scale of collapse inside the municipality.
“For years, the DA has been raising the alarm about corruption, financial mismanagement and collapsing service delivery in Emfuleni often while being dismissed or attacked for telling the truth.”
“Today, even ANC councillors themselves are admitting what residents have experienced daily, millions are being spent while basic services collapse, and governance has failed the people of Emfuleni,” he added.
Chabalala further said the councillors’ comparisons between Emfuleni and DA-run Midvaal reinforced the DA’s long-standing argument around governance failures.
The Star
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