The African National Congress (ANC) has suspended Lejweleputswa District Municipality executive mayor Phindiwe Maseko just five weeks after she took office, following a dispute over the party’s cadre deployment directives.
Maseko, who was elected mayor in June 2026, was suspended after allegedly refusing to comply with an instruction from the ANC’s Free State provincial leadership to remove a member of her mayoral committee (Mayco).
According to reports, the provincial ANC instructed Maseko to replace one of her Mayco members as part of an internal deployment decision. However, she reportedly refused to carry out the instruction, arguing against the removal, placing her at odds with the party’s leadership.
The standoff has reignited debate over the ANC’s cadre deployment policy, under which the party’s deployment committees recommend or instruct appointments and changes to public office bearers elected on the ANC ticket.
The ANC has maintained that elected representatives are expected to implement organisational decisions and remain accountable to the party. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action.
Maseko’s suspension comes less than two months after assuming office, making her one of the shortest-serving executive mayors in the municipality’s recent history.
The Lejweleputswa District Municipality, based in Welkom, oversees several local municipalities in the Free State, including Matjhabeng, Masilonyana, Nala and Tswelopele.
The suspension has sparked criticism from opposition parties and governance commentators, who argue that the incident highlights the tension between political party authority and the constitutional independence of elected public representatives.
The ANC has not publicly detailed the disciplinary process against Maseko but has indicated that internal organisational procedures are being followed. The party is expected to appoint an acting executive mayor while the matter is resolved.
The latest development adds to ongoing scrutiny of cadre deployment within the ANC, a policy that has remained politically contentious despite repeated assertions by the party that it is intended to ensure capable and accountable governance. Critics, however, argue that the practice allows party structures to exert undue influence over government appointments and municipal administration.
