The Western Cape African National Congress (ANC) has moved to remove councillors who appear on rival parties' candidate lists, notifying municipalities in the province that expulsions have been effected and asking that vacancies be created where necessary ahead of the local government elections.
Notices sent to municipalities
Provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni confirmed on Sunday that the party had written to municipal councils in the City of Cape Town, Mossel Bay, George and Knysna informing them of councillor expulsions linked to defections.
“This move has been necessitated by the expulsion of members who have crossed to other parties. These expulsions have affected the Cape Metro, where three councillors have been expelled, Mossel Bay Municipality, George and Knysna respectively,”
Mtsweni said a process is under way to remove the affected outgoing councillors from council rolls. The expelled members are reported to be contesting the upcoming elections under the banners of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Patriotic Alliance and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
Names and wards cited
ANC Provincial Task Team coordinator Thandi Makasi has written to City of Cape Town municipal manager Lungelo Mbandazayo, asking that he start the process of creating vacancies for two ward councillors whose names appear on other parties' lists.
- Lindile Sonyoka — Ward 41 (appears on Patriotic Alliance candidate list)
- Thembinkosi Mjuza — Ward 39 (appears on DA candidate list)
- Mthwalo “Ryder” Mkutswana — Ward 97 (reported expelled after name appeared on Patriotic Alliance lists)
Mtsweni said the expulsions include three councillors in the Cape Metro, and additional councillors in Mossel Bay, George and Knysna. One councillor in Knysna has defected to the SACP, a Tripartite Alliance partner of the ANC now contesting the elections independently.
Implications for council composition
The ANC has asked municipal managers to implement the statutory processes that govern the cessation of office of a municipal councillor. Where expelled councillors hold proportional representation (PR) seats, the party said it will make changes to those lists rather than trigger by-elections for ward seats.
The party has also indicated there will be no by-elections for wards where expulsions affect councillors; instead the mechanics of PR list replacement or other legislative provisions will apply. The letter from Makasi to the City of Cape Town municipal manager is dated 28 August.
Dispute and threatened legal action
Separately, a City of Cape Town councillor threatened legal action over removal from the ANC’s election candidate list after being dropped. The name of the councillor was not provided in the material circulated by the party; the threatened court action highlights rising tensions within the party ahead of the poll.
Party expulsions and list changes are likely to prompt procedural work at municipal level as administrations adjust councillor registers. Municipal managers are obliged to follow the electoral and municipal frameworks that govern cessation of office, vacancies and the filling of seats.
What the ANC says
Mtsweni framed the steps as necessary housekeeping to align council rosters with the party’s membership and candidate lists. He said the action follows announced moves by the councillors to contest the elections under other parties.
| Municipality / Area | Named councillors (ward) | Appears on candidate list for |
|---|---|---|
| City of Cape Town (Cape Metro) | Lindile Sonyoka (Ward 41); Thembinkosi Mjuza (Ward 39) | Patriotic Alliance; DA |
| Other noted areas | Mthwalo “Ryder” Mkutswana (Ward 97) | Patriotic Alliance |
The broader list of affected councillors in Mossel Bay, George and Knysna was confirmed by the provincial ANC, though only two of those paraded as defectors from George were, the party said, actually councillors.
What this means for voters
For voters, these expulsions will change which individuals appear on party lists and who represents a party in councils after the election. Where PR councillors are removed, parties submit replacement names in line with electoral law. Where ward councillors are affected, different rules apply depending on whether a vacancy arises before or after the election and whether a by-election is legally required.
The ANC’s moves reflect a national phenomenon as parties reposition themselves and councillors shift allegiances ahead of the local government vote. The process underway in the Western Cape will be closely watched as parties and municipal administrations implement the technical steps necessary to reflect the changes in council registers.
Disclosure: the provincial ANC provided the information to media and public correspondence cited above. Municipal managers have statutory duties to confirm and effect changes to councillor records where required by law.
