1st Mayoral Seat for EFF: Free State Backs Red Berets in Metsimaholo

• The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have achieved their first mayoral seat in the Free State in the Metsimaholo local council
• Metsimaholo has a history of inefficient coalitions and expenditure issues, which has led to them being placed under administration
• Selloane Motjeane, the EFF's mayoral candidate for the council, will lead the municipality and try to keep the party's campaign promises

SASOLBURG - The Metsimaholo local council in the Free State held its mayoral election and the EFF's candidate, Selloane Motjeane, was victorious in securing the position.

Metsimaholo was a hung council, one of four in the province. The municipality has a history of flawed coalitions, which have led to inefficient governance.

Bosanku Msimanga, the EFF's secretary for the Free State, said that the party has the voters' confidence and that they are committed to fulfilling campaign promises as laid out in the party's manifesto, SABC News reports.

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The EFF'S way forward in Metsimaholo

According to IOL, in 2017 the Metsimaholo Municipality was disbanded by the Free State government for not passing a budget. The trouble continued in the 2020/21 budget period when the municipality had to pay its budget back as it did not efficiently spend the funds.

Following their budget woes, it was discovered that the municipality spent R240 million irregularly while failing in its service delivery mandate.

Maladministration and infighting have been the two chief problems in the municipality's leadership. Due to these issues, the municipality has been under supervision since February 2020.

Reactions to the EFF's hard-fought win and promises to fulfil their mandate

@HlockeyMcBoiler said:

"We waiting to see if it'll be possible to implement what they preaching during canvassing."

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@ramere_echelon asked:

"An EFF Mayor… interesting times for ZA. What’s to come in 2024."

@TBesigheid believes:

"Your wish! It can't get worse than this."

@MonesePuso shared:

"Congratulations. It’s a first and they will do better than the monopoly mentality. Well done to EFF."

Malema Explains the infamous 'tea party' with Zuma

Yesterday, 22 November 2021, Briefly News reported that Julius Malema, the Commander in Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters, took the opportunity at the Siyabonga Rally in Tembisa, Johannesburg to set the record straight about some of the political decisions he has made.

Malema defended his decision to meet former President Jacob Zuma at his home in Nkandla for the infamous 'tea party' as well as the EFF's decision to meet with the African National Congress for coalition negotiations.

The EFF's decisions have been widely criticised, however, Malema says his critics simply don't understand how politics works. He went on to say that people who think that he has made bad calls as the leader of the party need to wait for the EFF's elective conference to choose a new leader.

Source: Briefly News