The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Free State has successfully negotiated the mayoral seat in the Metsimaholo Council. Metsimaholo was one of the four hung municipalities in the Free State.

The party will lead the municipality which has been plagued with inefficiencies following a dysfunctional coalition government in the past. EFF councillor Selloane Motjeane was elected as the mayor in the first council sitting. EFF provincial secretary Bosanku Msimanga says they are happy to be governing in the municipality.

“We are happy that people have shown confidence in the leadership of the EFF by affording us an opportunity to lead. We will never let our people down. But from now on we will go back to the drawing board and ensure that some of the programmes we agreed on in our manifesto are implemented,” Msimanga explains.

The African National Congress (ANC) has won 16 of the 46 council seats. Both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the EFF won 12 seats.

At least 24 seats were required to constitute a majority.

The embattled municipality was placed under administration in February 2020 after it failed to convene meetings and pass the budget.