By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
- The poorly-run Thabazimbi local municipality was dissolved after having two mayors and two municipal managers on the payroll.
- ANC promises a new corruption-busting approach with an intolerance of crooks in the council.
Political parties have rolled out their biggest guns to drum up support ahead of this week’s by-election in Thabazimbi in Limpopo.
The entire council is up for grabs in one of the IEC’s biggest by-elections this year.
The Thabazimbi local municipality was dissolved in October because of infighting among the councilors and poor administration.
When the provincial government took over the municipalities, some officials were not being paid, the municipality was paying two mayors and it also had two municipal managers.
Even though the ANC won 47% of the vote after the 2021 local government elections, a DA-led coalition with, mainly, the local Thabazimbi Residents Association ruled the council.
The ANC then formed its coalition with smaller parties and took over the council in a disputed vote of no confidence session.
The people of Thabazimbi now have a chance to take control of their destiny with new parties like Jacob Zuma’s MK on the ballot.
The DA, which won 15% of the vote in 2021, has made more inroads in the Waterberg district and has a higher public profile now as a key player in the ruling government of national unity.
The by-election is the latest opportunity for the MK party to flex its muscles and prove that it is more than just a Zulu traditionalist party with influence only in KwaZulu-Natal.
The party has rolled out its deputy president Dr John Hlophe – the impeached former judge president of the Cape High Court.
The party Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu is also a powerful player in Limpopo politics.
But the MK’s biggest influencer in the province is veteran musician and reality TV star, Papa Penny.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa led the ANC campaign in the region with a Siyanqoba Rally where he promised the people a renewed corruption-busting ANC that no longer tolerated crooks in public office.
At least 51,000 residents have registered to take part in these by-elections.
The town itself is a semi-industrial mining town where iron ore was mined by the people long before the arrival of Europeans in South Africa.
Its Nguni name Thabazimbi means ‘mountain of iron ore’.
The council will be made up of 12 ward councilors and 11 proportional representation councilors.
Pictured above: Special votes got underway in Thabazimbi on Tuesday.
Source: IEC
