By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Political turmoil at the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality has intensified after yet another postponement of a crucial council sitting, further delaying a contentious motion of no confidence and exposing a council teetering on the brink of collapse.
The much-anticipated continuation sitting, scheduled for Wednesday, 8 April 2026, was abruptly postponed to Friday, 10 April 2026, after fierce disputes over the agenda brought proceedings to a standstill.
The meeting was meant to revisit the explosive events of 26 March 2026, when a special council sitting descended into chaos, violence and competing claims to the mayoral office.
The latest delay comes despite a directive from Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Saki Mokoena, instructing council to reconvene and follow proper legal procedures after ruling that due process had not been followed in the attempted removal and appointment of the executive mayor.
At the centre of the storm is a motion of no confidence against Mayor Malekula Melato, initially tabled by SARKO councillor Napo Letlala — a move that triggered violent disruptions and plunged the municipality into a prolonged leadership crisis.
Tensions flared again on Wednesday when MAP 16 councillor Paratlane Motloung challenged the legitimacy of the meeting, accusing Speaker MandleNkosi Dlamini of issuing a misleading agenda.
Motloung argued that the notice circulated to councillors failed to reflect the true purpose of the sitting — to deliberate on the motion of no confidence — and instead included the MEC’s advisory and legal guidance stemming from the disputed 26 March meeting.
“The speaker issued a notice for a continuation of the 26 March sitting, but the agenda speaks to something else. It may be related, but it is not the agenda for this meeting,” Motloung said.
Motloung, who has also attempted to interdict the sitting in court, maintains that he remains the legitimate mayor following the controversial March proceedings — despite his application being struck off the roll over the Easter weekend.
Speaker Dlamini confirmed that the notice included all relevant documentation, including the MEC’s advisory and court papers linked to the March sitting, arguing that councillors were fully informed.
However, he said resistance from councillors over the inclusion of these documents forced his hand.
“Councillors objected to the attachments, saying they are not part of this continuation sitting. This is a waste of time, but I had no choice but to postpone to Friday,” Dlamini said.
In a scathing rebuke, Dlamini warned that repeated disruptions and delays are crippling council operations and derailing critical governance processes — including deliberations on the municipality’s draft budget.
He lashed out at councillors’ conduct, describing it as disorderly and unacceptable, and signalled a tougher stance going forward.
“I have been too lenient for too long. This behaviour will no longer be tolerated. Councillors must expect consequences — I will act on their salaries. If I do not take action, these delays will push this municipality towards a Section 139 intervention,” he warned.
With leadership contested, legal battles ongoing and council sittings repeatedly collapsing, Maluti-a-Phofung now faces the real prospect of provincial intervention — as political infighting continues to paralyse one of the Free State’s most troubled municipalities.
