Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbite in English by Tshegofatso Pheto
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Matlosana strongly condemns the African National Congress (ANC) for abusing public resources by conducting political electioneering at schools under the guise of assessing school readiness for the new academic year.
On 14 January 2026, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Electrical and Mechanical Engineering visited several schools in Jouberton, claiming to assess school readiness. However, the visit was accompanied by an entourage openly wearing ANC regalia, turning what should have been a neutral government function into a blatant political campaign funded by public money (see photos here, here, and here).
This conduct directly violates Section 33A of the South African Schools Act, 1996, which explicitly prohibits the display or wearing of political party clothing, symbols, or logos on school premises. Schools are meant to be politically neutral environments focused on education. Principals and governing bodies should ensure that under no circumstances are individuals wearing party-political regalia allowed on school property during school hours.
The DA finds this misuse of municipal resources especially troubling given the dire state of Matlosana’s electrical infrastructure, the chronic shortage of operational vehicles, and the near-collapse of the municipality’s fleet management systems. Instead of fixing service delivery failures, the ANC continues to divert public time and money into political grandstanding.
This matter has formally been raised with the Speaker of Council, with a demand that these unlawful practices cease immediately and that clear consequences follow for those responsible.
For more than a decade, Matlosana has been run into the ground by the same ANC leadership now using residents’ hard-earned money for political gain. Schools must remain places of learning and safety — not platforms for party-political campaigning.
The DA will continue to defend the integrity of public institutions and hold the ANC accountable for every abuse of power and misuse of public resources in Matlosana.