ANC retains ward 12 in Free State by-election but EFF is looking to take over
The ANC retained ward 12 in a by-election in the Free State’s Metsimaholo municipality, with 31.34% of the votes, with the EFF coming in second. The ward became vacant when an ANC councillor resigned. The EFF is hoping to take over the running of the entire municipality after a vote of no confidence was passed against the current mayor Sello Hlasa, who is also the leader of the pro-opposition Metsimaholo Community Association. Earlier this week, a special council meeting, at which the motion of no confidence was likely to be brought against Hlasa, was postponed. The meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, a day before the by-election was to be held. After the August 2016 local government elections, Metsimaholo was split between political parties and was eventually run by an opposition coalition. Hlasa, through the coalition, was elected mayor. However, Hlasa is alleged to have subsequently aligned himself with the ANC, forcing the DA and EFF to rethink their support in the m...
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