Pretoria, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) in the Greater Tshwane Region has firmly stated that removing Tshwane Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya is not currently under consideration, despite escalating friction within the governing coalition. However, the party maintains that Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya must face strict accountability regarding recent controversial council decisions and unresolved questions surrounding alleged upgrades to her private residence.
Key coalition partners ActionSA and the ANC are currently locked in a dispute over the mayor’s leadership. The ANC has leveled accusations at ActionSA, claiming the party is shielding the mayor from accountability for council decisions that have adversely affected other coalition stakeholders. An ANC spokesperson emphasized that the public’s demand is not an invasion of the mayor’s personal finances, but a legitimate call for transparency regarding her conduct. The party insists that if corruption allegations are unfounded, the mayor must proactively provide evidence detailing her actions and exactly how any related expenses were settled.
In a robust defense, ActionSA has dismissed the accusations as a calculated, politically motivated smear campaign aimed at damaging the party’s reputation just two and a half months before the local government elections. A party representative argued that rival factions are feeling the pressure of ActionSA’s growing political momentum, which they attribute directly to the tangible service delivery successes achieved under Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya’s leadership. ActionSA further asserted that it has never protected anyone from legitimate scrutiny, pointing out that the mayor recently submitted a report to the council that she herself contested—an action the party views as contrary to the foundational spirit of their coalition agreement.
The internal dynamics are further complicated by the roles each party holds in the Tshwane executive. The ANC deployed its senior regional leader, Eugene Modise, to serve as the deputy executive mayor. While Modise has recently faced his own public scrutiny concerning tender projects in the municipality, the ANC maintains that this does not exempt the mayor from facing similar scrutiny. Nevertheless, both political entities appear acutely aware of the catastrophic risk that collapsing the Tshwane executive would pose so close to the local government elections. The ANC reiterated that it has not yet considered tabling a motion of no confidence, citing its own swift disciplinary actions against a former MMC implicated in the Madlanga Commission as proof of its commitment to governance standards.
Addressing the specific allegations, ActionSA stated that opponents are circulating a factually incorrect narrative. The mayor has reportedly responded directly to media inquiries, presenting documentation to prove that the contractor who performed work on her residence was not a registered service provider to the city.
Political analyst Sandile Swana characterized the public feud between the ANC and ActionSA as a textbook example of pre-election political theater. Swana cautioned that elected officials must remain anchored to their constitutional mandates, regardless of the electoral calendar. He noted that South African municipalities are legally bound to provide minimum essential services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. According to Swana, the current governance confusion arises when politicians prioritize election-season opportunism over the fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens by the Constitution.
