The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Free State acknowledges the recent decision by the ANC Free State Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) to recall political leadership in several municipalities. While we cautiously welcome any action to address the governance crisis in our province, we must unequivocally condemn the selective and arbitrary nature of this decision.

The ANC frames this as a “renewal effort” to restore integrity, accountability, and service delivery. However, the selective application of this intervention makes it clear that it is driven by political expediency, not genuine principle. We see no consistent or transparent criteria for these decisions.

We challenge the basis on which these specific municipalities were chosen while others, in demonstrably worse states of dysfunction, have been inexplicably spared. Municipalities like Matjhabeng, Masilonyana, Kopanong, and Maluti-a-Phofung—some of the most scandal-ridden and administratively bankrupt in the country—remain untouched. These are places where workers endure delayed salaries, infrastructure is collapsing, and residents are deprived of essential services.

This inconsistency is indefensible and points to a process driven by factionalism, not authentic renewal. For too long, the ANC in the Free State has presided over a governance disaster of its own making. Now, it offers a “solution” that applies to a select few, leaving the worst offenders untouched. We are not fooled by hollow rhetoric or performative statements. This is not a genuine cleanup, but rather a politically convenient purge.

The ANC PEC must provide a transparent account for its decisions and answer the following questions:

· Why was Matjhabeng, a municipality with a history of financial and governance failure, excluded?

· Why has Kopanong, where municipal workers have gone unpaid for months, escaped scrutiny?

· What special consideration exempts Maluti-a-Phofung from the urgent intervention it clearly requires?

The simple truth is that selective morality is no morality at all. When you only apply your standards to those you wish to remove, you reveal that your actions are not based on integrity, but on political interest. This approach erodes public trust and only deepens the suspicion that the system is rigged.

SAMWU demands that the ANC PEC immediately broaden its intervention and apply this “renewal” process equitably and transparently across all failing municipalities. This must not be reduced to an electoral gimmick or a factional cleansing program. We insist that the ANC engage with labour and community stakeholders, including SAMWU, in this process.

We will not be a silent witness to what appears to be a selective purge disguised as progress. If genuine transformation is the objective, let it be pursued with courage, consistency, and clarity. We stand ready to engage, but we will not hesitate to mobilise if this political rot is not addressed comprehensively and without bias.

Issued by SAMWU Free State

Thabang Tseuoa, Provincial Secretary (0826209160)

Sandla Mahlathi, Deputy Provincial Secretary (071 978 0310)