ANOTHER civic movement has claimed the scalp of the ANC when Lekwa Community Forum (LCF) ousted the ANC from power in Standerton.
The Lekwa Municipality had been under the ANC for many years, but the LCF challenged the ruling party after several protests in the area.
The community of Lekwa had been protesting over the years about lack of service delivery.
Delane Thabethe of the Lekwa Community Forum was elected mayor.
This is the second municipality to fall into the hands of a civic movement after Maluti-a-Phofung in the Free State saw MAP16 Civic Movement removing the ANC from office.
MAP16 was formed by ex-ANC councillors who were expelled from the party in 2018 after lifting the lid on corruption.
MAP16 saw its leader Gilbert Mokotso becoming mayor of the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung municipality in the Free State.
In Mpumalanga the ANC had failed to win with an outright majority in three municipalities including Lekwa, Steve Tshwete and Govan Mbeki.
The EFF had backed Lekwa Community Forum to take over the municipality from the ANC.
A few months ago the town was gripped by service delivery protests leading to businesses to complain.
The municipality was also under administration as its finances were in a bad shape.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has warned that some of the municipalities are in financial crisis.
He said 46 municipalities were dysfunctional and another 100 at risk.
The loss of Lekwa municipality by the ANC comes as the party was scrambling to retain some of the municipalities it failed to win with an outright majority after the November 1 polls.
POLITICAL BUREAU