Stakeholders in Thabazimbi have urged the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation) to recommend that the National Council of Provinces dissolve the Thabazimbi Local Municipality to ensure efficient service delivery The committee conducted an oversight visit to the municipality following the Limpopo Executive Council’s notice to the National Council of Provinces to invoke provisions of Section 139 (1) (c) of the Constitution and dissolve the Thabazimbi Local Municipality Council a decision must be made for the good of the people of Thabazimbi These councillors have been selfish and are not concerned about service delivery They have been planning to remove each other from the day they were inaugurated,” said Mr Moses Moakane a small business representative in the area A representative from the local business chamber also echoed the sentiments that the municipality is dysfunctional and that their advances to the municipality to assist with economic development fell on deaf ears we have dealt with 13 different municipal managers which makes it difficult for us to know who to interact with and advance the economic development of our municipality,” the representative said He further argued that the infrastructure is beyond repair leading to serious losses in water and electricity which rob the municipality of much-needed revenue Mr Moses Maepo also supported the dissolution because he believes the councillors worry not about service delivery but protecting their salaries “The egos of our councillors are standing in the way of service delivery and the municipality cannot move forward to resolve the challenges of unemployment and infrastructure development It is sad that a municipality that accounts for 50% of the GDP of a district municipality cannot invest in infrastructure to grow the economy further,” said Mr Maepo Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) in the province had informed the committee that the municipality had only spent 40% of its Municipal Infrastructure Grant at the end of June 2024 a month before the end of the municipal financial year The Municipal Infrastructure Grant aims to eradicate municipal infrastructure backlogs in poor communities and ensure the provision of basic services such as water The decision by the provincial executive to invoke Section 139 (1) (c) was taken because of various challenges affecting the municipality including governance and management challenges These challenges included a significant dysfunctional council two parallel structures with each structure having a management team a bankrupt municipality unable to pay creditors a high vacancy rate in the senior management of the municipality Following the interaction with stakeholders the committee observed that the challenges facing the municipality directly impact service delivery The committee raised concerns that councillors did not raise service delivery issues throughout the interactions with the committee but focused on internal fights amongst themselves “The general attitude we have witnessed amongst the councillors is of a group not concerned about the people and service delivery but only their selfish need to protect their salaries What must guide every councillor is a commitment to service delivery we have not witnessed this commitment to servant leadership from councillors in this municipality,” said Mr Mxolisi Kaunda The committee will now deliberate and recommend to the National Council of Provinces whether to approve or disapprove the invocation of Section 139 (1)(c) of the Constitution “What will be central to our deliberations and recommendation to the National Council of Provinces as per Section 139 (3)(b) is to protect the interest of the residents of the municipality and ensure that quality service delivery is achieved It is important that a municipality is functional and able to implement the objects of local government as set out in Section 152 of the Constitution,” Mr Kaunda said “Harnessing Parliamentary Diplomacy for the Realization of Global Solidarity reflects Parliament’s commitment to international collaboration in addressing socio-economic challenges mmakgato@parliament.gov.za Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Iron ore mining is the key economic sector of Thabazimbi The municipality boasts a national park in Marakele The 2021 local government elections: The ANC won 11 of the 12 wards It won 47% of the vote and finished well ahead of the chasing pack meaning that none of its proportional representation (PR) candidates won election to the council The Thabazimbi Residents Association (TRA) finished third with 11% and will send two councillors each to the chamber The Thabazimbi Service Delivery Forum (TSDF) obtained 3% and a single seat The opposition parties worked together to elect the DA’s Tokkie Swanepoel as mayor. The TRA, EFF, FF+ and TSDF all collaborated with the DA. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The 2024 provincial elections: The ANC won just more than 51% of the vote on the provincial ballot The DA became the second-largest party on the provincial ballot with 21% The EFF’s support slipped from 16% to 14% to finish third and the uMkhonto Wesizwe party was fifth with 2% Parties including TRA and TSDF were not on the ballot The by-elections: The municipality was dissolved because of its continued dysfunctionality There had been two mayors and two municipal managers running parallel councils They were unable to pass budgets and settle debts with Eskom and the regional water authority The untenable status quo was allowed to fester because of leadership squabbles within the Thabazimbi Residents Association (TRA) EFF and FF+ were joined by 17 other parties on the ballot including the two current local parties in the council There were also five independent candidates in a crowded field while former mayor John Michael Fisher formed a new local party and his former TRA rival Selaelo Sekgobela joined Amcu leader Joseph Mathunjwa’s Labour Party The ANC held its own or improved on its 2021 showing in much of the Regorogile township next to Thabazimbi It was these returns that put them into the position to win more than double the number of seats of any other party It was in stark contrast to the iron ore mining belt around Northam this is the ward where the ANC had its second-worst return the ANC’s vote share declined from 48% to 34% Read more: By-elections results hub The EFF emerged as the third-largest party after coming fourth in 2021 It exhibited good growth in a number of iron ore mining belt wards and finished well ahead of Labour in the Regorogile wards The EFF will be delighted that it gained an additional PR seat and that MK did not compete with the red berets The Labour Party now has its first councillors in the country Joining the ward councillor in Ward 3 will be an additional PR councillor Labour was able to beat the FF+ for fourth place by making deep incisions in pockets of ANC and local party support in the Northam area The Labour Party will now weigh up where it will next contest a by-election Rand West City (Bekkersdal) in February 2025 could be next to test the by-election waters It now has a councillor in Thabazimbi and one in Rustenburg This means the party has more councillors in the north of the country than in its KwaZulu-Natal heartland The party struggled in Thabazimbi but will be happy that it came out of the by-election with a councillor It was carnage for the local parties. The TSDF will not return to council, while TRA made it back by the narrowest of margins with one seat, down from the three it had in 2021. It remains to be seen if this is an ominous sign for other local parties that did well in 2021 or whether this is specific to this municipality. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The ANC can form a stable coalition by either working with the DA, the EFF or the Labour Party. Despite losing ground, the ANC has a clearer path to leading Thabazimbi than it did in November 2021. DM Will those people NEVER learn from the past… there that go again…. ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Image: Facebook/Limpopo Department of Education Limpopo Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has called on school governing body members and the learners to ensure that their parents check their books daily to monitor their academic progress. She said this during her visit to three schools in the Thabazimbi circuit, as part of the school support programme that’s aimed at improving school marks. Lerule-Ramakhanya urged grade 7 learners at Ysterburg and Deo Gloria primary schools to create a study schedule and even consider attending school during the June holidays to ask their teachers to help them catch up on subjects they are struggling in. The MEC urged learners at Mabogopedi Secondary school whose first term results were not impressive, to put in place intervention programmes from grade 8 and not wait until they are in matric to try and catch up on all the work. Copyright © 2022Capricorn FM.All rights reserved AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale Premier Phophi Ramapthuba THABAZIMBI - Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba says she’ll not shy away from taking tough decisions On Friday Ramathuba informed councillors and officials of Thabazimbi Municipality that the province will take over control with immediate effect Ramathuba dissolved the municipal council due to infighting amid allegations of corruption and lack of service delivery a DA-led coalition formed the government but were later ousted by an ANC-led coalition after a disputed no-confidence motion salaries of workers who were not on good terms with some officials were not paid “Now some of the issues as you’ve indicated there are workers who were not paid for over three months this municipality owes Eskom more than R300 million."  "Yes you may say it’s not the only municipality that owes Eskom but what we know is that Treasury and the minister of Electricity working together came up with how they can assist municipalities which are owing there were terms which must be complied with "Magalies which is the water authority board Aggrieved by the province’s resolution to dissolve the municipal council some councillors challenged this decision in court Local business people who say they haven’t been paid for work done are happy that the present council has been shown the door Even though councillors are taking the flak some of the workers are calling for introspection The Electoral Commission of South Africa says by-elections for the whole of Thabazimbi Municipality will be held by December Political parties are gearing up ahead of the much-anticipated by-elections in the Thabazimbi local municipality in Limpopo The by-elections are scheduled to take place on December 4 in 12 wards These by-elections are being held against the backdrop of the municipality’s dissolution by the Provincial Executive Committee with the concurrence of the National Council of Provinces and the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs The municipality was marred by internal ructions in the council and parallel structures These resulted in the collapse of governance Since the announcement of the election date 14 political parties and four independent candidates have been on the campaign trail to woo potential voters The elections are expected to be fiercely contested between the ANC The Thabazimbi Residents Association is also expected to give other political parties a run for their money This as it has already entrenched itself in various wards There are also newcomers who just came into the fray They all made significant inroads in recent months “The ANC is in Thabazimbi in large numbers on this campaign to make sure that all the needs of the residents are adhered to We don’t want to see what happened previously When the collapse of political stability and poor administration resulted in residents being left without services,” said Kekana said they were confident of increasing their numbers in the upcoming council The party’s head of elections in Thabazimbi She said they are going to the elections solely to ensure that they get majority votes and govern the municipality “We are now working hard to rescue Thabazimbi We believe that we are going to increase our seats in the chambers as soon as these elections are over There are several parties and independent candidates contesting these elections You cannot go to such fiercely contested elections without the requisite experience,” she said was part of the parallel structures of the ANC and DA It says it is hoping to garner more seats to ensure that they are part of the key decision-makers Provincial party leader Lawrence Mapoulo said they are expecting good results after the elections “These newcomers are not going to make any significant impact and that will work in our favour,” Mapoulo said Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Fundudzi Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy. Picture: Alpha Ramushwana/ Eyewitness News JOHANNESBURG - Thabazimbi residents have until 9pm on Wednesday to cast their votes as the IEC concludes the by-elections in the municipality A by-election is being held in Thabazimbi today to elect a new local government and fill the vacant council ALSO READ: Thabazimbi by-elections: Some voters frustrated over municipality’s ongoing political instability The council was dissolved in August following prolonged political disputes that resulted in the collapse of service delivery. A total of 21 political parties are contesting the by-election, with just 24 seats up for grabs in the municipal council. Voters in Thabazimbi have endured the scorching heat, reaching temperatures of 40°c, driven by the hope that their vote will bring about change. Philemon Mainetja, a frustrated community member, says he only wants a stable government. "The political parties here are always fighting. They do nothing for us. All they know is to steal from the public purse." Another resident Maria Scholes says she’s more concerned about service delivery. "We need some real service delivery. If we’re not struggling with water, we’re struggling with power. If it’s not power, it’s something else." With 51,000 people registered to vote, the IEC aims for a 60% voter turnout. Sections Parliament will closely monitor the government’s progress in fulfilling G20 commitments through oversight committees Ministerialqueries@dha.gov.za THABAZIMBI - A record number of 405 candidates will contest for 24 seats in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality during next week’s bi-elections. The Limpopo province dissolved the entire municipal council in September citing the collapse of governance. The municipality owes R180 million to the Magalies Water Board and R300 million to Eskom. JOHANNESBURG - Political parties contesting the by-election in Thabazimbi have alleged that some mining companies prevented them from campaigning for mineworkers Thabazimbi is home to thousands of mineworkers who live in gated compounds owned and operated by mining companies The parties claim some companies denied them access to the compounds, allowing only specific parties to campaign there. At a media briefing on Wednesday, Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Provincial Commissioner Nkaro Mateta said the issue has been resolved. "Several parties complained that for campaign purposes, they were not allowed access to the mines. So fortunately the chairperson of the portfolio committee of home affairs was in town and we presented this matter to him. "The chairperson of Home Affairs escalated this matter to the Minerals Department because those are the people who work directly with the mines." THABAZIMBI - Political parties contesting a by-election in Thabazimbi have deployed some of their top leaders to Limpopo in a bid to get voters. The council was dissolved due to political infighting between the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress (ANC). Both parties had parallel governments in the municipality, with each claiming to be the legitimate administration. Voters in the municipality have queued at several voting stations to cast their ballots. As Eyewitness News travels through Thabazimbi's narrow and bumpy roads, the sight of colourful posters and billboards is the order of the day as political parties aim to win over the municipality. At each voting station, the parties have deployed some of their most well-known members, hoping to sway voters in their favour. The DA’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, who is deployed to the Höerskool Frikkie Meyer voting station, says the blue party has done everything it can to convince voters to support them. "Thabazimbi is very much important. You would remember that this is also a mining town. It's one of those towns that are very much economically active not only for the province but for the whole country. Therefore, it is important that its government is running as efficiently as possible." In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC received 47% of the vote in Thabazimbi.  However, similar to the metros in Gauteng, the municipality also faced several motions of no confidence. THABAZIMBI - The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said it expects to finish counting votes from Thabazimbi's by-election by 10am on Thursday morning A by-election in the Limpopo municipality took place on Wednesday after the dissolution of its council due to political conflicts - Thabazimbi by-elections: Political parties allege mining companies stifled their campaigns - Thabazimbi residents hope casting vote in by-election will help solve water problems - Thabazimbi by-elections: Some voters frustrated over municipality’s ongoing political instability The commission has been working overnight to count and process the votes at its results operation centre. A large projector screen at the IEC’s results operation centre in Thabazimbi displays the real-time vote tally as it is processed into the system. IEC officials began the counting process at 9pm on Wednesday night, with ballots coming from all 12 wards and 57 voting stations in the municipality. IEC commissioner in Limpopo, Nkaro Mateta, said the counting process would be handled with the utmost respect and integrity. "The results centres are there for political representatives and independent candidates to monitor the voting, counting, and results process." The results are expected to be announced later on Thursday. LP - Political parties are deploying their big guns as they vie for dominance in the Limpopo municipality of Thabazimbi.  The provincial executive dissolved the entire council in September.  eNCA Senior reporter Siphamandla Goge has the details.  THABAZIMBI - The ANC in Limpopo has finally accepted the outcomes of Wednesday’s by-elections in Thabazimbi It won 10 of the 12 wards but failed to get a single Proportional Representation seat This means it did not get an outright majority and will have to form a coalition READ: ANC in discussion with IEC over Thabazimbi seats allocation The party met with the IEC to raise the issue It's now accepting the outcome but wants changes to the Municipal Structures Act South Africa (17 March 2025) – Disaster has a way of revealing the heart of a community After relentless rain caused the local dam to burst roads disappeared beneath the rising waters and people were left stranded with no access to essentials One of those stepping up was Hannes Coetzee he wasted no time in mobilising a relief effort “Our region was flooded by rains about three times heavier than usual,” Coetzee shared and people urgently needed basic foodstuffs We responded by donating hundreds of meal packs delivered by helicopter to isolated areas.” And behind every delivery was a community determined to take care of its own “The people of Thabazimbi were hit hard by the floods waiting for authorities to mobilise can cost precious time Thabazimbi has a proactive community who didn’t hesitate to act,” said Mpudi Maubane Communications & Sponsorship Manager at The SPAR Group With a network of around 2,500 stores across South Africa they’re part of the fabric of their communities “Our efforts were all about strengthening our relationship with the communities we serve but SPAR demonstrated through action that we genuinely do,” Coetzee added SPAR’s dedication doesn’t stop when the waters recede they’re committed to fighting food insecurity – an issue affecting nearly 15 million people in South Africa and work with FoodForward SA to redirect surplus food to those in need Their warehouses and distribution centres play a vital role in getting edible surplus food to school feeding programmes and beneficiary organisations ensuring no good food goes to waste while helping to put meals on the table for those who need them most the SPAR Rural Hub Programme has been empowering small-scale farmers by integrating them into the supply chain and market access to boost local food production and employment Reflecting on South Africa’s Human Rights Month Maubane highlights the significance of access to food as a fundamental right “The most basic right is access to nutritious food we must strive to ensure all South Africans have access to food This is the surest way to build a healthy nation capable of competing on the global stage.” The Thabazimbi floods may have left destruction in their wake but they also revealed something truly special… the power of a community that stands together and a country that refuses to leave anyone behind And that’s the kind of good news worth celebrating Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a087cd30f46ebc869928fc3055363a4c" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Your GPS did not respond. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again. THABAZIMBI - Twenty-one political parties in Thabazimbi are hoping to emerge victorious in a fierce by-election in Limpopo The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is expected to announce the results on Thursday after thousands of residents cast their votes on Wednesday - Thabazimbi by-elections: Political parties allege mining companies stifled their campaigns - Thabazimbi by-elections: Residents hope their votes will bring change in their communities Political parties deployed a wide range of resources ahead of the by-election, all aiming to secure control of the mineral-rich municipality. The election was triggered by the dissolution of the council due to political conflicts that disrupted service delivery. In the 2021 local government elections, the African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure an outright majority in Thabazimbi, obtaining only 47% of the vote. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which received just 15%, managed to take control of the municipality through a coalition with several other political parties. However, a Thabazimbi resident voiced her dissatisfaction with coalition governments, saying she wants only one party to govern at a time. "I have got my trust in the party I voted for, because when you have a problem, the party jumps to help you, no matter if it’s water, electricity, refuse removal, or potholes." While 21 parties contested the by-election, only 24 seats are up for grabs in the municipal council. THABAZIMBI - The IEC declared the results of the by-elections held in Thabazimbi Local Municipality. 21 political parties, represented by 400 candidates, and five independent candidates contested 23 council seats. Another hung council is on the cards, with the ANC not doing enough to secure a majority. After Wednesday’s by-elections, despite fierce campaigning by political parties and independent candidates, voters made their choices in the highly contested by-elections.  This forces the ANC, to go back to the drawing board. THABAZIMBI - Thabazimbi residents need to prepare for a coalition government No political party which contested Wednesday’s by-election secured an outright majority. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announced the results at a media briefing on Thursday. The African National Congress (ANC) garnered the highest percentage of votes, with 39%, while the Democratic Alliance secured 16%, making it the official opposition. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) came in third with 13%, and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party received just 3% of the total votes. The IEC’s provincial Commissioner Nkaro Mateta: “None of these political parties obtained 50% plus 1%. So, we still have a hung council in Thabazimbi. It’s as if we did not do anything to really remedy the situation because the Premier and NCOP [National Council of Provinces] dissolved this municipality based on the fact that nobody had a majority.” Out of the 21 political parties that contested the by-election in the municipality yesterday, none of them managed to secure an outright majority. Thabazimbi’s ongoing service delivery woes have been attributed to unstable and ineffective coalition governments. In the 2021 local government elections, no political party in Thabazimbi secured an outright majority, leading to three years of poor service delivery due to political infighting and unstable coalition arrangements. This instability was one of the reasons the NCOP decided to dissolve the council in August. Mateta hopes similar challenges won't hit Thabazimbi in the future. Of the registered population, 38% of Thabazimbi residents came out to vote in Wednesday’s by-election. The ANC in the Waterberg region says there won’t be a coalition government in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality because political parties involved in the council have shown majority when it came to electing ANC councillors in the positions of mayor, chief whip, and speaker. The first council meeting on Thursday elected Tumisang Pilane as mayor, Dingaan Sebata as speaker of council and Lettah Ndiweni as chief whip after the ANC won with 10 council seats in last week’s by-elections. Speaking on Capricorn FM Talk last night, ANC regional pokesperson Seraka Mapeka said they had an arrangement to accommodate other political parties on committees such as finance and municipal public accounts. He says political parties in the municipality have agreed to bury the hatchet and work together to better the lives of the local people. Mapeka says the Labour Party is the only party that ignored the invitation to work together but other parties have reached an agreement with the ANC. Copyright © 2022Capricorn FM.All rights reserved. JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress (ANC) chairperson in Gauteng has congratulated the party's structure in Thabazimbi for receiving the highest number of votes in the recent by-elections but fell short of securing an outright majority CAPE TOWN - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has unanimously agreed to dissolve the Thabazimbi Local Municipality and place it under administration It’s the only local council in Limpopo deemed to be dysfunctional At a special sitting of the house on Thursday the select committee on Cooperative Governance said its inspection earlier this week revealed a litany of problems and a refusal by the council to cooperate with the provincial government to fix them With the dissolution of the Thabazimbi Local Municipality it will now be added to the list of the country’s 35 dysfunctional municipalities READ: NCOP prepares to amend its rules to accommodate GNU A hung council, the municipality has been a battleground of political instability where the African National Congress (ANC) has 11 seats but has been run by a coalition led by the Democratic Alliance (DA) - which has four seats.  The parliamentary committee said its inspection has found parallel council and governance structures.  Councillors have failed to hold meetings, to attend them when they do or to keep records of their resolutions.  The public accounts and audit committees are also non-functional.  The chairperson of the NCOP's select committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration, Mxolisi Kaunda, said it’s evident there’s a lack of political will for the council to meet its obligations.  "Our select committee is of the view that the invocation and dissolution of the Thabazimbi Local Municipality in terms of Section 139 1(c) of the Constitution is constitutionally and substantively justifiable," Kaunda said. The Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) will now have to appoint an administrator that the NCOP committee expects to come up with a turnaround plan, conduct lifestyle audits and a range of forensic investigations into the maladministration, fraud and corruption suspected at the municipality. have expressed frustration over the ongoing political instability in the municipality as they vote in a by-election Government has not been functioning for three months following the dissolution of the previous administration due to political infighting ALSO READ: Thabazimbi by-elections: Residents hope their votes will bring change in their communities The African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) have been in conflict for years even establishing parallel governments and appointing separate municipal officials Twenty-one parties are vying for 24 seats in the municipal council One resident said she hopes her vote will help end the political instability "There was a lot of fighting between the political partners there was no service delivery - it was a mess hopefully this time around it will come around." It’s D-Day for 21 political parties contesting today’s by-election in Thabazimbi, Limpopo. EWN is currently at a voting station at Hoërskool Frikkie Meyer in Ward 2. All voting stations will open at 07h00 and will remain open until 21h00. @JusstAlpha pic.twitter.com/ZZwjkC2721 Maria Scholes, a Thabazimbi Ward 2 resident, is hoping her vote will improve service delivery in her community. @JusstAlpha pic.twitter.com/0gmLsLZqfm Parts of Thabazimbi are without water this morning. Philemon Mainetja, who voted in today’s by-election, says his taps went dry yesterday.He tells EWN that he was unable to take a full bath before going to vote this morning. @JusstAlpha pic.twitter.com/bGEVc0zyY2 The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo says it is satisfied with its performance Thabazimbi by-elections on Wednesday as it did not regress but has grown by 2%, compared to the 2016 elections. The DA is the official opposition party after coming second to the ANC, winning a single ward and securing three seats in the hung municipality. DA Constituency Head for the Waterberg district, Desiree van Der Walt says while they were not hoping for a hung municipality, their federal leadership will advise whether they should go into coalition with any of the political parties represented in council or remain on the opposition benches. She says their goal is not to attain power, but to govern well and fix the municipality for the benefit of the people of Thabazimbi. Van Der Walt says they hope there will be changes in the new council and that efficient and qualified people are elected to the council. Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officials gather to collect voting materials at the Ntolwane Primary School polling station in Nkandla during South Africa’s general election.  JOHANNESBURG - The IEC says voting in Thabazimbi has gotten off to a smooth start with all 57 voting stations opening as scheduled.  With over 51 000 registered voters eligible to participate the Commission says it is encouraged by the steady turnout so far.  READ: Several parties gunning for dominance in Thabazimbi The ANC will be hoping to claw back its power in Wednesday's by-election.  Elections Analyst Wayne Sussman joins us for more JOHANNESBURG - The dissolved Thabazimbi council has a new administrator.  Mavi Maseko has been tasked with restoring governance in the troubled municipality WATCH | Thabazimbi Municipality | Premier announces municipal council dissolution This intervention comes after the municipality was dissolved under Section 139 (1) (c) of the Constitution It's a section that allows intervention to restore effective governance Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs,Basikopo Makamu spoke to eNCA Home | Politics An independent political analyst, Masingita Mkhawana says a coalition framework is needed to deal with political instability in hung municipalities in the country Thabazimbi was one of the hung municipalities after the 2021 elections The council was dissolved after years of instability Twenty-one political parties and five independent candidates are expected to contest by-elections tomorrow. Mkhawana says it is crucial for the country to legislate laws that would ensure the functionality of hung municipalities. “On these Thabazimbi by-elections, we will find ourselves not having a political party that will win with an outright majority to run the municipality but will be forced to work with other parties. What is needed is a framework, written in black and white that will be a guideline on what needs to be done.” Special voting in Thabazimbi by-elections: voters in Thabazimbi are hoping their votes will bring a change in their communities as they express frustrations over poor service delivery Thousands of people in the municipality are queuing to cast their ballots at a municipal by-election taking place on Wednesday ALSO READ: 21 political parties to contest Thabazimbi by-elections The Thabazimbi council was dissolved in August following political infighting that collapsed service delivery Residents are marking their ballot papers at Höerskool Frikkie Meyer in Ward 2 While voters in Thabazimbi seem excited that election day has finally arrived, they are also carrying deep frustrations about the state of the municipality.   Potholes, irregular waste collection, and ongoing water and electricity issues are among the major complaints voiced by voters waiting in line to cast their ballots.   Community member Maria Scholes, expressing her discontent, said she was "sick and tired" of having to endure the bare minimum.   "It’s the potholes - they are damaging our cars. There is no service delivery in the municipality - they are always struggling to do something. So, I hope that this is the last time we vote for someone that can't really help us and promises something that they can't deliver." Just outside this voting station, African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and Patriotic Alliance (PA) gazebos are hard to miss, as the parties all look forward to winning this mining municipality.   Voting stations will remain open until 9pm in the evening. Home | South Africa Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba says her administration is committed to restoring good governance at the Thabazimbi Municipality Ramathuba was engaging community structures and municipal workers ahead of the dissolution of the municipal council The provincial government has resolved to place the municipality under administration following political instability Ramathuba says the National Council of Provinces (NCO) has already given the go-ahead for a team of administrators to take over the running of the municipality “It’s about people on the ground who want those services you have just indicated yourself that Magalies won’t come on board Magalies cannot when we owe them over R190 million Treasury came up with a way for you to settle the debt of over R300-million to Eskom but we are not complying so we thought let us come in bring a team of experts and they will help restore law and order.” Ramathuba has expressed relief that a court bid by some councillors to stop the government from placing under administration has failed Some ANC councillors had their application for an urgent interdict struck off the roll in the High Court in Polokwane The party has indicated that it’s taking disciplinary actions against the councillors The municipality has been run by two parallel councils after the previous local government elections Ramathuba says they’re now ready to send a team of administrators “We needed to wait for the NCOP to meet we needed to wait for the concurrence from the Minister of CoGTA which we have received that in the process The councillors instead of coming to us and say premier we are really worried about the letters you sent to us what is it that we can do so we also needed to wait for the court processes but we’re glad the court has struck this case off the roll.” Following the collapse of governance at the embattled Thabazimbi local municipality in Limpopo that resulted in a chronic shortage of basic services an administrator was appointed to rescue the council from the abyss of despair Mavi Paul Maseko was unveiled as the messiah to rescue Thabazimbi and breathe life into its administration an administrator with longevity and a formidable track record in the local government sector was appointed to lead a team tasked with restoring governance in the beleaguered municipality human settlements and traditional affairs (Coghsta) the group mapped a way forward on how to rescue Thabazimbi The meeting came in the wake of the dissolution of the previous council under Section 139(1)(c) of the constitution of South Africa which allows for such intervention to ensure effective governance Ramathuba expressed confidence in Maseko’s capabilities stating that the provincial executive committee needed someone who is balanced and focused to deal with the turmoil that has engulfed Thabazimbi “Our instructions to Mr Maseko are clear: he must get that place right The people of Thabazimbi need the services they have been denied for a long time,” said Ramathuba “We trust that should he or any team member go off track the community will be the first to inform us “We are positive that this team shall bring peace and calm to the situation in Thabazimbi.” The 12-member team commenced its work on Monday and is expected to be introduced to the staff and the community of Thabazimbi this week Maseko’s team comprises experts in engineering and the municipal infrastructure support agency will aid the team Armed with extensive experience in local government Maseko has since 2013 been deployed across the country by various local government ministers as a Section 154 support resource and as an administrator He was called to rescue municipalities in the North West He is one of the national facilitators on the senior managers induction programme on local government finance and governance matters Maseko holds an executive master’s in business administration degree from De Montfort University in the UK and other qualifications He is renowned for his ability to broker and mediate relations between labour and administration as well as for his skill in establishing operational systems in municipalities Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content JOHANNESBURG - A total of 21 political parties will be competing to form a new government in the Limpopo municipality of Thabazimbi. The municipality was dissolved in August this year, after falling into political and administrative dysfunction. The Electoral Commission held a media briefing in Thambazimbi on Thursday afternoon ahead of the fresh by-elections next Wednesday, where all of the municipality's 24 seats will be up for grabs. Over the past week, the ANC, EFF and uMkhonto weSizwe Party have deployed their senior party leaders to Thabazimbi. In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC won 47% of the votes in Thabazimbi, however, it failed to create a stable coalition government. Limpopo electoral officer, Nkaro Mateta, said that there were only two independent candidates who would be contesting for seats. "In preparation for this election, the commission has created 108,200 ballot papers, both wards and PR. It is fascinating for this election, voters will receive two ballots, for wards and local proportional representative." In the 2021 elections, ten parties contested for seats in Thabazimbi, with only six getting representation in council. A hung council has emerged yet again at the Thabazimbi Local Municipality in Limpopo, following Wednesday’s municipal by-election. According to the Electoral Commission (IEC) results portal, none of the contesting political parties and independent candidates garnered sufficient votes to govern on their own. The African National Congress (ANC) got 10 seats, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with four seats and the Thabazimbi Residents Association (TRA) with three seats. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) each obtained two seats respectively, while the Thabazimbi Forum for Service Delivery received one seat. With all votes counted, the ANC received 39.65% of the voter support, down from 47.4 in the 2021 municipal election. The DA increased its percentage from 15.3% to 16.21%. The EFF also saw an increase from 10.38% in 2021 to 13.3%. TRA suffered the biggest decline from 11% to 1.9%. The IEC is expected to announce the official results soon. VIDEO | Voting in Thabazimbi by-election:  ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has cautioned newly-elected councillors in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality against self-interests that collapsed the previous council. The municipality held its by-elections this week and while the ANC failed to win an outright majority, the party secured 10 council seats and 10 wards. The previous council was dissolved and the municipality was placed under Section 139 administration, following incidents where it was run by two parallel structures, one led by the ANC and another by the Democratic Alliance. Mbalula who was speaking during a media briefing at ANC headquarters in Johannesburg today said the ANC cannot risk losing that municipality and they cannot afford complacency to set in. The ANC has sought clarity from the Independent Electoral Commission on how the PR seats were allocated at the hung municipality, and Mbalula says the ANC in Limpopo is within its right to have lodged an objection on that matter. The Executive Council of Limpopo has announced its intention to place Thabazimbi Local Municipality under Section 139 (1) (c) administration. Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba briefed the media following a special EXCO meeting held at the Ranch Hotel outside Polokwane today. Ramathuba says the decision to consider placing the municipality under administration follows a comprehensive report presented to the Executive Council, highlighting persistent governance and management issues within the municipality since 2022. She says the report details significant dysfunctions within the municipal council, made worse by the high vacancy rate in key management positions and these challenges have severely affected the delivery of services to the residents of Thabazimbi. Meanwhile, Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance Basikopo Makamu says the intention to place the Thabazimbi Local Municipality under administration is not influenced by the fact that the municipality is led by opposition parties.   Makamu says they have been supporting the Democratic Alliance led coalition in that municipality, but the provincial government had to step in because the residents are the ones suffering because of the continuous political instability. He says the same measure will be applied at other municipalities that have unresolved challenges that are affecting service delivery.   ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa THABAZIMBI - Wednesday's by-elections have put the spotlight on the small town of Thabazambi in Limpopo WATCH | Several parties gunning for dominance in Thabazimbi The Limpopo provincial executive dissolved the council in September Now political parties are expected to bring in their heavyweights to woo voters eNCA spoke with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa Political parties in the hung Thabazimbi Local Municipality in Limpopo have started talks on the formation of a coalition government Seven political parties got a share of the council’s 23 seats in Wednesday’s by-election The by-election is the third electoral process to produce a hung council The African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Secretary Reuben Madadzhe says they are seeking a mandate from the party’s national leadership to finalise the coalition talks “We are open to engage with any party that wants to engage with the ANC but there are parties that we are talking to we are so sure that we are going to govern with another party what we need to do is to go to the formal structure of ANC and seek proper Mandate so that we can conclude over the weekend.” The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) head of constituency in the Waterberg region Desiree van der Walt says the federal executive will decide the way forward “Thabazimbi is in so much trouble that one has to be very very careful how to choose your partners the first is that we don’t have finance we not going to win major national government.” two types of people emerge: those who wait for help and those who take action the community of Thabazimbi faced devastating floods after incessant rains caused the local dam to burst cutting off road links and isolating settlements recounts the events: “The people of Thabazimbi were hit hard by the floods Thabazimbi has a proactive community who didn’t hesitate to act.” Hannes Coetzee and others used off-road vehicles and even helicopters volunteered by local owners to deliver essential supplies to stranded residents “Our region was flooded by rains about three times heavier than usual,” says Coetzee but SPAR demonstrated through action that we genuinely do,” Coetzee adds The swift response by SPAR Thabazimbi highlights the strength of SPAR’s extensive network of approximately 2,500 stores across South Africa and the crucial role their independent owners play in their communities “SPAR store owners live and trade within the communities they serve Although SPAR has a Corporate Social Responsibility plan many store owners supplement this with specific initiatives within their communities,” says Maubane This localised approach means SPAR stores can react swiftly to emergencies often before more formal government-led programs can mobilize “We don’t just have transactional relationships with our customers When there is a dire need within a community regardless of whether they are customers,” Maubane emphasizes SPAR is committed to sustainable national initiatives particularly in addressing food insecurity which affects an estimated 15 million people in South Africa a leading food redistribution organization to redirect surplus food to needy communities thus reducing food waste and combating hunger A great testament to our long term commitment to ensure that no one goes to bed hungry under our watch FoodForward SA connects surplus food from farmers SPAR’s warehouses and distribution centers facilitate the sourcing and storing of surplus food distributed to beneficiary organisations and school feeding programs ensuring children receive nutritious daily meals the SPAR Rural Hub Programme supports small-scale farmers by integrating them into SPAR’s supply chain enhancing local food production and employment we are dedicated to reducing food waste and loss along our production and supply chains,” says Maubane “Our focus is on increasing food utilisation and creating secondary food markets.” SPAR’s actions during the Thabazimbi floods and their ongoing sustainability efforts underscore the company’s deep commitment to community resilience and sustainable development setting a powerful example for other businesses to follow The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has approved the Limpopo provincial executive council’s decision to dissolve the Thabazimbi Municipal Council. All nine provinces voted in favour of the motion to intervene. Parliament’s Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration has found that the municipality has collapsed and is dysfunctional. The municipality has been run by two parallel councils, the Democratic Alliance and African National Congress led coalitions after the November 2021 local government elections. DA MP Desiree van der Walt says they welcome the decision. Van der Walt says a capable administrator should be appointed. “Absolute qualified administrator must be appointed, the regular reports be submitted to his office and we as the DA we’ll do everything in our power to put the people first to make sure that this clean sweep, if you may call it that, happens with integrity and honesty and that the services that are meant for the people will be delivered.” Alpha Ramushwana4 December 2024 | 5:31Voting stations open in Limpopo’s Thabazimbi as by-election gets underwayA by-election is being held in the embattled municipality after its council was dissolved due to political infighting in August. LimpopoFILE: A voter registration banner outside a voting station THABAZIMBI - Voting stations in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality opened on Wednesday morning in Limpopo as residents made their way to cast their votes A by-election is being held in the embattled municipality after its council was dissolved due to political infighting in August ALSO READ: IEC says people who did not live in Thabazimbi tried to unlawfully register for by-election Twenty-one political parties are contesting with 24 seats up for grabs in the municipal council The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has spent the past three months running an awareness campaign in Thabazimbi successfully registering 51,000 of the municipality's 65,000 residents Among the newly registered are over 1,300 first-time voters aged between 18 and 19 who did not participate in the 2024 general elections The municipality was dissolved after both the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) claimed to be the rightful governing party leading to significant disruptions in service delivery Eyewitness News is currently at Dwaalboom Primary School located in Ward 5 of the Thabazimbi Municipality This is the largest voting district in Thabazimbi with over 6,000 people registered to vote on Wednesday