• Ace Magashule’s African Congress for Transformation (ACT) remains optimistic about taking over the Free State.
• Current Free State Premier Mxolisi Dukwana criticised ACT and Magashule’s leadership, highlighting a legacy of corruption and mismanagement.
• Meanwhile, ACT provincial secretary Kgaketla Mokoena praised Magashule’s past infrastructure, education and healthcare achievements.

The African Congress for Transformation (ACT), under the shadow of its controversial leader and former premier Ace Magashule, has boldly staked its claim in the governance of the Free State.

However, the party’s aspirations seemed like a far-fetched fantasy since it was outperformed by Magashule’s close ally, the MK Party of former president Jacob Zuma, and the ANC.

The numbers did not deter ACT provincial secretary Kgaketla Mokoena, who maintained the party would take over the Free State.  

“We are still hoping that we are going to take over the Free State.  

“It doesn’t matter what is happening there [vote counting boards]; we are still hoping that at the end of counting, we will be ruling the Free State,” Mokoena said.

“As a new political party, not older than a year, in terms of our performance, we performed very well.”

He added the party had been marred by challenges leading up to the elections that included a court order that denied the ACT access to appear on all ballot papers.

Last month, the Electoral Court dismissed the ACT’s application after it failed to register for the elections on time and sought an extension after blaming the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) online system.

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“There have been many things that happened to us … the court issue. So, what happened in the minds of people? That thing already affected us,” Mokoena said.

Magashule was once part of the “premier league”, a powerful lobby group that backed Zuma.

He became entangled in Gupta family shenanigans and alleged incidents of corruption in the province.  

Current Free State premier and ANC member Mxolisi Dukwana dismissed Magashule’s hopes of taking over the province, saying it was a pipe dream in the harsh light of political reality.

Dukwana said the ACT was out of touch, lacked a presence at voting stations, and destined to disappear after the elections.

“We knew that it would come to this, especially when you overplay yourself. We saw throughout that there was no presence of this party.

“For them to think that there will be a magic wand and for them to take over the province, it is far-fetched for them, but let them believe whatever they believe,” he added.

“They are just dreaming; they still have to work hard. I don’t think that they will last after these elections, and I don’t think you will hear of ACT again.”

In backing Magashule, Mokoena said the Free State saw significant improvements in infrastructure and municipal performance during Magashule’s tenure.

He also credited Magashule with advancing education and healthcare, stating children were sent to study abroad and the province now boasted medical doctors as a result of those initiatives. 

“Magashule can be trusted. There is no premier in Free State that has performed like Magashule. When Magashule was the premier of the Free State, the Free State was much better.

“Even other provinces, the people of other provinces, they wish Magashule could be their premier.”

Dukwana said Magashule outperformed every premier in the province by doing “all the wrong things”.

“We are now dealing with the mess he left, and it is actually uphill to clean it all.”

He also highlighted Magashule’s scandalous legacy during his tenure, which, according to him, was marred by corruption.

“It is under his leadership that we have unfinished projects where money was paid to contractors even before they started.

“We are now trying very hard to get that money. We are in court as we speak, trying to get those companies to pay back the money.

“It is also under his leadership that you have asbestos roofings that were supposed to have been removed, and money was paid.

“It was under his leadership that we had the Vrede dairy [project], and people who were supposed to have benefitted did not benefit,” Dukwana said.

Echoing Dukwana’s sentiments, Bloemfontein resident Donald Constable voiced grave concerns over the political and social disorder experienced in the Free State during Magashule’s tenure.

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“Magashule was a very dynamic and fearless politician. But that changed when he gained too much popularity and power in Mangaung.

“Ace Magashule ruled Mangaung with an iron fist. He had the first and the last say. In the Free State, politically, this guy had influence.

“You must remember he was also connected to Jacob Zuma, who was then the president of South Africa, and that gave him carte blanche,” Constable said.

He detailed the infamous asbestos project, for which Magashule is on trial, as a testament to the widespread corruption that plagued his administration.

“His hand was in the cookie jar,” he claimed.

Constable painted a picture of a community held hostage by Magashule’s ambitions.

“Once you are seen as being against Magashule, your water taps will be closed, and you will be left in the cold.

“You had to agree to each and everything this man said. You had to agree that you would serve him unconditionally, not the political party.

“People were members of Ace Magashule and not members of the ANC,” he said.