Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s African Content Movement (ACM) is spreading its political influence across the eastern Free State after using Maluti-a-Phofung as a springboard to challenge the ANC in six municipalities.
The party, which won just two council seats in Maluti-a-Phofung in 2021, has since attracted councillors from rival parties and expanded its ambitions across the Thabo Mofutsanyana region. Among its new recruits are former EFF councillor Shirley Mkhwanazi and former ANC councillor Pulane Makae, who joined Motsoeneng’s party in June this year.
The defections followed the earlier recruitment of former ANC mayoral committee member for finance Mandla Tshabalala and former African People’s Convention councillor Ntaoleng Monkwe.
Challenging the ANC
The ACM now wants to translate those political gains into votes when residents go to the polls on Wednesday.
The party is contesting Maluti-a-Phofung, Dihlabeng, Nketoana, Setsoto, Mantsopa and Phumelela local municipalities, including the Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality.
Motsoeneng believes the defections and his party’s growing presence have created an opportunity to challenge the ANC across the region.
“Where we are standing as ACM, we have a firm belief that change is imminent in the region as we contest all six local municipalities and the district one,” he said. “In 2021 local elections we managed to get two seats in Maluti-a-Phofung, and at that time it was for the first time ACM contesting.
“When we took the office to hold the municipality to account, we discovered so much corruption, which had been rife for many years.”
Motsoeneng said the party was expanding because residents had lost confidence in the ANC after years of deteriorating services.
“Qwaqwa started experiencing water shortages and constant electricity cuts and roads became horribly infested with potholes. Everything became a mess.”
The party’s growing political ambitions have also become the subject of a dispute after its October 17 rally at Phuthaditjhaba stadium.
Food poisoning claims
A statement bearing ACM logos circulated on social media, alleging that supporters suffered food poisoning after consuming food at the rally.
The document, which carried deputy secretary Nomathemba Mopeli’s name, was also shared with Sunday World by a senior ANC politician in the region.
Motsoeneng rejected the statement as fake and claimed political detractors were attempting to derail his party’s growing influence.
“Those people who penned and circulated that fake letter are scared that my party is making inroads in their territory,” Motsoeneng said.
The ACM’s Mopeli said: “We urge all members, supporters, and the general public to refrain from entertaining, sharing, or giving credibility to this misleading communication.”
Thabo Mokoena, regional chairperson of the ANC’s Thabo Mofutsanyana region, said: “We are working towards the people’s mandate and working towards improving the lives of our communities, so we are not worried or interested in what Hlaudi is saying.”
- Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s African Content Movement (ACM) is expanding its political influence in the eastern Free State, contesting six municipalities including Maluti-a-Phofung and the Thabo Mofutsanyana district.
- Since winning two council seats in Maluti-a-Phofung in 2021, ACM has attracted defectors like former EFF councillor Shirley Mkhwanazi and former ANC councillor Pulane Makae.
- Motsoeneng claims the party discovered widespread corruption in Maluti-a-Phofung and cites poor service delivery, including water shortages and electricity cuts, as reasons for residents' loss of confidence in the ANC.
- A statement claiming ACM supporters suffered food poisoning at an October 17 rally was circulated on social media but rejected by Motsoeneng and ACP deputy secretary Nomathemba Mopeli as fake and misleading.
- ANC regional chairperson Thabo Mokoena dismissed Motsoeneng’s statements, emphasizing the ANC's focus on serving the community and showing no concern about ACM's claims.
