Bloemfontein. A pair of social‑media images dating from late 2025 have raised fresh questions about the association between ANC Free State deputy chairperson Ketso Makume and people who later emerged as founders and operatives of the Service Movement for Metsimaholo (SMM), a new political formation now contesting elections against the ANC.
Timing and faces prompt scrutiny
A 28 September 2025 Facebook post from an account bearing Makume’s name displayed four people and a caption identifying “The Mouthpiece, The Brain, The Face, and The Connector. You’ve got to love Cde Bafana.” The image includes former ANC organiser Bafana Thwane and SMM co‑founder Selloane Motjeane, with Makume pictured as well. The post does not explicitly map the descriptors to the people left to right, nor does it name the SMM, but the later emergence of Motjeane and Thwane as SMM figures has prompted questions about whether the photograph signalled an earlier association with the movement.
A second image, circulated on SMM social media in December 2025, appears to show Makume standing and addressing people at a meeting hosted by the movement. That image has added to speculation about the nature and timing of Makume’s relationship with individuals now linked to an organisation running against the ANC.
What those pictured say
Thwane confirmed his ANC membership in 2025 and said he left the party “this year”, according to Sunday World reporting. He also confirmed participating in ANC election work in 2024, saying he served in a PTT (party task team) and attended weekly meetings during that campaign period.
“I was a member of the ANC last year, up until I left the ANC this year,” Thwane told Sunday World.
When asked about his relationship with Makume, Thwane minimised any suggestion of a political understanding, saying they were known to one another in public life. He described Makume as “a leader of the ANC”.
Why this matters in the Free State
The Free State remains a politically contested province where party organisational integrity and loyalty are central to local electoral strategy. The appearance of senior party figures alongside individuals who subsequently form or join rival movements invites scrutiny from members, supporters and political observers, particularly when images predate the public launch of a new grouping.
Key points that have driven interest in the images include:
- The timing: the September post precedes the SMM’s public emergence on 9 October 2025.
- The personnel: two people in the posts — Thwane and Motjeane — later became associated with the SMM.
- The context: a December 2025 SMM post that appears to show Makume addressing a meeting has amplified questions about the depth of association.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 28 September 2025 | Facebook post from account bearing Ketso Makume’s name with four people and caption referencing "The Mouthpiece, The Brain, The Face, and The Connector". |
| 9 October 2025 | SMM publicly emerges as a political formation. |
| December 2025 | SMM social‑media post shows Makume addressing what appears to be a meeting. |
Responses and unanswered questions
The material reported by Sunday World includes direct remarks from Thwane but does not contain an on‑record response from Makume about the September or December images. The posts themselves do not explicitly state that the captions referred to SMM roles or that the people pictured were engaged in a political project together.
For party members and voters, the presence of senior ANC figures in images with people who later left for another political formation raises questions about transparency and timing. Political analysts often note that public perception matters as much as formal party processes; imagery suggesting cross‑party contact can become a point of internal contestation even if no formal coordination is proven.
What to watch next
- Whether the ANC Free State issues a formal clarification about Makume’s presence in the images.
- Any further comment from Makume, Motjeane or other pictured individuals clarifying the nature of their associations in 2025.
- How the SMM frames its relationship, if any, with those pictured in material that predates the movement’s public launch.
The matter remains one of public interest in the province. The images and the timing reported so far raise important questions; answering them will depend on clearer statements from those pictured and from party structures willing to address the appearances directly.
Tebogo Motaung
Free State correspondent.
