OMO says Merafong seats give it power to push for better services

One Merafong Organisation (OMO) says its election result gives it a platform to press the Merafong municipality on service delivery, The Citizen reported. Spokesperson Buti Mthembu described the outcome as the start of the party’s real work rather than the end of a campaign.

How the seats were shared

The ANC emerged as the biggest party in the local government elections, winning 17 seats. The DA took 11, while OMO and the EFF each won four.

OMO has held discussions with the DA and the uMkhonto weSizwe party about a possible coalition. Mthembu said the party would not hurry into a deal just to obtain posts in the municipality.

He said any agreement would first have to set out the priorities, the way they would be carried out, who would take responsibility for each, and how progress would be tracked. If those priorities could not anchor a deal, he said, the party would have to think carefully about whether joining would serve its supporters. “We cannot simply join a government because positions are available,” he said.

Rates, billing and accountability

OMO says it wants to defend ordinary residents, especially people hit by high property rates and incorrect municipal bills. Its other stated priorities include tackling irregular and fruitless expenditure, corruption, weak financial management, billing problems and what it called unfair employment practices.

Mthembu cautioned that holding council seats does not on its own guarantee accountability. He said the party’s discipline, political awareness and ties to communities would decide how much influence it really has. He also warned the organisation against becoming dependent on government positions and resources, saying its legitimacy must stay rooted in the communities that formed it.

The party also won the leadership of Ward 22 in Kokosi, which Mthembu called a strong mandate for community-focused governance. He said residents want an end to the problems they link to the municipality, including corruption and the misuse of public funds, and that anyone who misused public money should answer for it. “Corruption must never be shielded by party loyalty or political office,” he said.

Thanking voters, Mthembu said the responsibility now rests with OMO to deliver on its promises. “The real work has now started,” he said.

What this means for residents

No coalition has been confirmed, according to the report, so it is still unclear which parties will run the municipality. For Merafong residents who have struggled with high rates or wrong bills, the coalition talks and the priorities that parties agree on will be worth watching in the coming weeks.

This story is based on reporting by The Citizen.