Political instability continues to plague Oudtshoorn Municipality as the council prepares to elect its fourth mayor in two years, marking yet another chapter in ongoing coalition turmoil that has disrupted governance and service delivery.
During a council meeting on Thursday, speaker Suzane Jansen of the Patriotic Alliance was reinstated after being removed through a motion of no confidence just two days earlier on Tuesday. The meeting also confirmed that ANC mayor Mziwoxolo Zoe Tyatya will be replaced, with a vote for a new executive mayor scheduled for Friday.
The decision to replace Tyatya follows allegations of dishonest and corrupt conduct related to travel claims. According to the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), Tyatya allegedly used an official municipal vehicle for a trip to Caledon on 10 and 11 May whilst simultaneously submitting and receiving travel or accommodation compensation from the South African Local Government Association for the same period.
A criminal complaint was filed with the police in June, alleging double compensation, misrepresentation and the unlawful use of public funds. The FF+, DA and ICOSA subsequently submitted a motion of no confidence against Tyatya on 10 June.
The Good Party welcomed the mayor’s replacement as a necessary step to restore public confidence. Councillor Ashwill Oktober, who had voted in favour of removing speaker Jansen on Tuesday, supported her reinstatement on Thursday as part of the shifting political alliances within the council.
Two years of coalition instability
The Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality has experienced severe political volatility since July 2024, when a DA-led coalition was voted out after governing the municipality.
In July 2024, a motion of no confidence was passed against DA mayor Chris Macpherson, led by the ANC and supported by the FF+, Patriotic Alliance, Good Party and Oudtshoorn Community Initiative. On 1 August of that year, a new coalition called the Government of Local Unity took control, with Johan Allers of the FF+ elected as executive mayor, Mziwoxolo Zoe Tyatya of the ANC as deputy mayor, and Suzanne Jansen of the PA as speaker.
The new coalition imposed an immediate moratorium on administrative appointments, allowing the new executive mayor to review the municipality’s organisational structure.
In February this year, the coalition experienced its first major fracture when mayor Allers was removed through a motion of no confidence, which passed by 11 votes to six. Deputy mayor Tyatya assumed the role of acting mayor before being formally elected as executive mayor in April.
By May, the FF+ submitted a motion of no confidence against speaker Suzanne Jansen, citing allegations of financial mismanagement and irregular tender processes. This motion was supported by the DA and ICOSA.
The instability has disrupted council operations multiple times. An ordinary council meeting scheduled for 26 February was postponed to 9 March because the acting mayor and councillors did not have sufficient time to workshop the municipality’s adjustment budget before the 28 February deadline.
DA calls for decisive mandate
The DA has criticised what it describes as a “coalition of chaos and corruption” that has placed political convenience above service delivery.
In a statement released today, DA mayoral candidate for Oudtshoorn Henricus Gysman said residents have witnessed “a revolving door of political deals, changing alliances and leadership battles, whilst stability and service delivery have taken a back seat”.
Gysman outlined what he described as a pattern of opportunistic coalition politics: “In July 2024, the ANC, PA, FF+ and other parties voted out a stable DA-led local government that had restored good governance, driven development and improved service delivery.
“In August of that year, the ANC-led coalition removed an experienced municipal manager and replaced him with a contract appointment lacking local government experience. In February 2026, the ANC removed the very mayor it had helped elect earlier, before installing another mayor.
“Today, the ANC speaker was voted out with the support of parties that have frequently aligned themselves with the ANC, only to be replaced by a PA speaker. The ANC mayor has also resigned, leaving the municipality facing yet another period of uncertainty.”
The DA mayoral candidate argued that the cycle demonstrates “relentless corruption and mismanagement” without regard for service delivery and good governance.
“The people of Oudtshoorn deserve a government that delivers for all, one that will fix roads, maintain infrastructure, create opportunities and deliver reliable services, not politicians constantly negotiating the next coalition reshuffle,” Gysman said.
The council will convene on Friday to elect a new mayor, the fourth since July 2024, as the municipality continues to grapple with political instability ahead of local government elections scheduled for 4 November.
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