Vusi Tshabalala

Tshabalala became acting Mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung in September 2013 after the incumbent, Sarah Moleleki, resigned; he was formally elected and inaugurated in early February 2014. At the time the ANC said that he was the youngest mayor in the Free State.{{Cite web |date=2014-02-17 |title=ANC inspired by the youngest FS mayor |url=https://www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za/anc-inspired-by-the-youngest-fs-mayor/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Bloemfontein Courant |language=en-US}} He became known as a staunch political ally of Ace Magashule, then the Provincial Chairperson of the ANC's Free State branch.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-29 |title=Elections: ANC factions are its biggest opponent |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2019-03-29-00-elections-anc-factions-are-its-biggest-opponent/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=14 October 2021 |title='Civil war' in the Free State ANC |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/fm-fox/2021-10-14-civil-war-in-the-free-state-anc/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=2021-10-07 |title=ANC in Free State suspends provincial chief whip Vusi Tshabalala |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/anc-in-free-state-suspends-provincial-chief-whip-vusi-tshabalala/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=SABC News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Masuabi |first=Queenin |date=2022-06-20 |title=Charges against Ace Magashule ally, Vusi Tshabalala, dismissed by ANC disciplinary committee as 'hearsay' |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-20-charges-against-ace-magashule-ally-vusi-tshabalala-dismissed-by-anc-disciplinary-committee-as-hearsay/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-06-10 |title=End of Ace machinery in Free State — Dukwana |url=https://mg.co.za/politics/2021-06-10-its-the-end-of-the-ace-machinery-in-the-free-state-says-interim-provincial-committee-convenor/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}

His tenure as mayor was controversial. In February 2018, the municipality was placed under administration;{{Cite web |date=2018-08-03 |title=Zuma-supporting Free State 'gangster' mayor due to make a comeback – DA |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-supporting-free-state-gangster-mayor-due-to-make-a-comeback-da/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Citizen |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Van Heerden |first=Pierce |date=2018-05-08 |title=Maluti-A-Phofung celebrates mayor being recalled |url=https://www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za/watch-maluti-a-phofung-celebrates-mayor-being-recalled/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Bloemfontein Courant |language=en-US}} local opposition parties and press linked the municipality's financial difficulties to alleged corruption and dubbed Tshabalala the municipality's "gangster mayor". In March of that year, an investigative report by the Mail & Guardian triggered a "jobs for votes" scandal, with the newspaper claiming that municipal funds had been used to buy votes ahead of the ANC's 54th National Conference.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-09 |title='Jobs for votes' scandal rocks ANC |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-03-09-00-jobs-for-votes-scandal-rocks-anc/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} Also in 2018, Tshabalala faced service delivery protests in the municipality{{Cite web |date=6 February 2018 |title=Maluti-A-Phofung Municipal Mayor to take the heat for #QwaqwaProtests |url=https://www.ofm.co.za/article/local-news/257799/maluti-a-phofung-municipal-mayor-to-take-the-heat-for-qwaqwaprotests |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=OFM}} and several motions of no confidence tabled against him by opposition councillors. The opposition Democratic Alliance later alleged that he held the council "hostage" during this period; according to opposition councillors, the no-confidence votes were disrupted by Tshabalala's supporters.

In early May 2018, the provincial leadership of the ANC – no longer led by Magashule – "recalled" Tshabalala as mayor, asking him to resign or face a no-confidence motion from within his own party.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-08 |title=ANC calls for Maluti A Phofung mayor to go |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/anc-calls-for-maluti-a-phofung-mayor-to-go/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=SABC News |language=en-US}} He resigned and was replaced the following month by Gilbert Moktso.{{Cite web |date=14 June 2018 |title=Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality elects new leaders |url=https://www.ofm.co.za/article/local-news/263087/maluti-a-phofung-municipality-elects-new-leaders |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=OFM}}

Tshabalala was elected to the free state Provincial Legislature in the 2019 general election, ranked sixth on the ANC's provincial party list.{{Cite web |title=Vusimusi William Tshabalala |url=http://www.pa.org.za/person/vusimusi-william-tshabalala/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=People's Assembly |language=en}} The ANC named him as Majority Chief Whip in the legislature and additionally as Chairperson of its Committee on Public Accounts and Finance. The opposition Democratic Alliance opposed his appointment to the latter position, arguing that he had presided over corruption and financial maladministration in the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality.{{Cite web |date=14 June 2019 |title=DA unhappy about new chairperson with history at #Maluti-A-Phofung |url=https://www.ofm.co.za/article/centralsa/275376/da-unhappy-about-new-chairperson-with-history-at-maluti-a-phofung |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=OFM}}

In October 2021, the ANC suspended Tshabalala from his party and legislative offices, pending internal disciplinary proceedings. He was accused of – but denied – supporting independent candidates during the 2021 local government elections.{{Cite web |last=Masuabi |first=Queenin |date=17 October 2021 |title=I was purged for supporting Magashule – ANC chief whip |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/i-was-purged-for-supporting-magashule-anc-chief-whip-20211016 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=City Press |language=en-US}} After his disciplinary hearing was held on 10–11 May 2022, the ANC's provincial disciplinary committee ruled that the charges relied on inadmissible hearsay evidence. He was acquitted and reinstated to his party membership and legislative activity, but he was not reinstated as Chief Whip; Thabo Meeko, who had been appointed after his suspension, remained in that office.

Following his reinstatement, Tshabalala launched a campaign to be elected Provincial Chairperson of the Free State ANC.{{Cite web |last=Mokoaledi |first=Joseph |date=30 August 2022 |title=Tshabalala eyes chairman seat! |url=https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/tshabalala-eyes-chairman-seat-20220829 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Daily Sun |language=en-US}} However, when the provincial party's local branches nominated their preferred candidates, Tshabalala did not perform well: he was nominated by only six branches, compared with the 59 nominations for Mxolisi Dukwana, 37 nominations for Sisi Ntombela, and 15 nominations for Thabo Manyoni.{{Cite web |last=Masungwini |first=Norman |date=19 January 2023 |title=Dukwana takes early lead in ANC branch nomination ahead of FS provincial conference |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/dukwana-takes-early-lead-in-anc-branch-nomination-ahead-of-fs-provincial-conference-20230119 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=City Press |language=en-US}} Tshabalala ultimately stood for the position of Provincial Treasurer instead, but when the conference was held in January 2023 he lost in a vote to Mathabo Leeto, who received 346 votes to Tshabalala's 304.{{Cite web |last=Khumalo |first=Juniour |date=22 January 2023 |title=Mxolisi Dukwana emerges as ANC Free State chair after hotly-contested election |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/political-parties/mxolisi-dukwana-emerges-as-anc-free-state-chair-after-hotly-contested-election-20230122 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}

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• {{People's Assembly (South Africa)|vusimusi-william-tshabalala|Mr Vusimusi William Tshabalala}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Members of the Free State Provincial Legislature

Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:21st-century South African politicians

Category:Mayors of places in South Africa