MALUTI-A-PHOFUNG, FREE STATE — The African Content Movement (ACM) has significantly expanded its political footprint following the 2026 Local Government Elections, transitioning from a minor political player to the official opposition in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality.
After securing just two council seats in the municipality during the 2021 elections, the party has now captured 20.98% of the vote. This surge positions the ACM ahead of the Democratic Alliance (DA), which secured 18.95%, while the African National Congress (ANC) retained the largest share with 29.62%.
Following the election results, ACM leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng outlined his party’s strategic vision, emphasizing immediate service delivery, strict municipal management, and a pragmatic approach to coalition governance.
Pragmatic Coalitions Over Political Ideology
Despite falling short of an outright majority, the ACM is already engaged in coalition discussions to form a government. Motsoeneng confirmed that talks have commenced, though he declined to name the specific parties involved.
When pressed on ideological alignments, Motsoeneng dismissed traditional political labels, stating that his focus is strictly on practical issues like poverty and unemployment. “I don’t know ideology. What I know is I share poverty,” Motsoeneng explained, noting that he is willing to partner with any party focused on tangible implementation rather than political “talk shows.”
He confirmed that the ACM intends to enter the government rather than remain on the opposition benches, arguing that meaningful municipal change is impossible without being part of the executive structure.
“Alpha and Omega” Leadership and Strict Accountability
Motsoeneng described his leadership style as absolute, referring to himself as the “alpha and omega” of the party. He made it clear that his instructions to councillors are final and that underperformance will not be tolerated.
“If you don’t do that, I don’t wait for 5 years. I’m going to remove you. I’d rather go for by-elections,” he stated. When asked if this strict approach mirrored the policies of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), Motsoeneng rejected the comparison, attributing his management style to his previous tenure at the SABC, where he claims to have enforced similar standards of delivery and accountability.
Municipal Management and Revenue Generation
A core pillar of the ACM’s strategy in Maluti-a-Phofung is overhauling municipal management and addressing the concerns of disgruntled municipal workers. Motsoeneng highlighted the need to end the reliance on “acting” positions, specifically citing the need to appoint a permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to stabilize the municipality’s finances.
He also addressed municipal work hours, insisting that employees must adhere to a strict 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule, rather than leaving early.
To fund service delivery and improve worker conditions, Motsoeneng outlined an aggressive revenue-generation strategy. He noted that the municipality’s current budget for the 2026/2027 financial year stands at 2.7 billion. His goal is to increase this figure to 4.5 billion within two years by attracting private investors, a strategy he claims to have successfully utilized during his time at the national broadcaster.
Focus on Delivery Before National Expansion
While the ACM has historically been viewed as a regional party with its stronghold in the Free State, Motsoeneng insisted that national expansion is not the immediate priority.
“My work should talk for my party,” he said, emphasizing that the party must first prove its ability to deliver basic services—such as water, electricity, and roads—in Maluti-a-Phofung before contesting in other provinces or at a national level. He pointed to the municipality’s three dams, stating that infrastructure upgrades, rather than “patching,” are required to resolve local water issues.
The Six-Month Accountability Challenge
Committing to his promise of “implementation over talk,” Motsoeneng accepted a public challenge to demonstrate tangible progress. He agreed to a six-month review period, during which he will showcase the physical infrastructure and service delivery improvements achieved in the municipality, inviting media and the public to verify the ACM’s claims of effective governance.
