Emfuleni Mayor Sends SOS to Mbalula Amidst Council Clashes and Cadre Deployment Crisis

Emfuleni Mayor Sipho Radebe appeals to ANC SG Fikile Mbalula to block a regional attempt to oust him, citing cadre deployment conflicts and inherited crises in 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 20, 2026, 6:27 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from News24

The Ultimatum from Sedibeng

The African National Congress (ANC) Sedibeng regional executive committee recently issued a formal instruction to Mayor Sipho Radebe to tender his resignation. Regional leadership cited the ongoing financial collapse of the Vanderbijlpark-based local authority and persistent service delivery failures as the primary reasons for the demand. The move follows months of internal friction within the council, which critics describe as being overwhelmed by cadre deployments that have contributed to institutional dysfunction. Regional spokesperson Mphikeleli Sibeko stated that the party expects Radebe to step aside immediately to allow for a change in leadership ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

Defiance and the SOS to Luthuli House

In a direct act of defiance, Radebe has written an "SOS" letter to the ANC national leadership, specifically Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, asking for an urgent intervention. The Mayor argues that the regional directive is neither politically fair nor factually accurate; he insists that he has no personal attachment to the office but will only relinquish it if ordered by the national office based on organisational principles rather than regional factionalism. This standoff highlights a deepening rift between local regional committees and the national executive over how to handle failing municipalities as electoral pressure mounts.

Inherited Crises vs. Recent Progress

In his defense to Mbalula, Radebe outlined the "devastating" state of Emfuleni when he took over in 2021, noting that the municipality was already facing a structural crisis of debt and infrastructure decay. He highlighted several achievements during his tenure, including negotiating a R1.9 billion debt write-off with Eskom and overseeing the refurbishment of critical water pump stations in partnership with Rand Water. Despite these efforts, the municipality remains under severe financial distress, often facing the seizure of its bank accounts by creditors and enduring chronic water interruptions that continue to anger residents.