A political storm is brewing in Mpumalanga as Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial chairperson Collen Sedibe claims an ANC mayor was caught red-handed trying to solicit a bribe. The explosive accusation targets Chairperson Sibongile Makhushe, a senior figure in a regional ANC structure, alleging she tried to squeeze a payment out of a local service provider in exchange for clearing outstanding municipal invoices.
Sedibe didn’t mince words during a press briefing on Wednesday, calling the alleged act “corruption at its most brazen.” According to him, the bribery attempt came to light when the service provider pushed persistently for payment only to be met with demands for a kickback. The EFF says they have concrete evidence linking Makhushe to the scheme.
@MbombelacityNst Mayor Sibongile Makhushe was caught red handed soliciting bribe from a service provider because she has push for payments of his invoices this is corruption at its sharpest @MpumalangaGov @PublicProtector @MpumalangaEff pic.twitter.com/fg4UZHSI2Q
— collensedibe (@collensedibe) May 1, 2025
The party is now calling for urgent action from top law enforcement agencies, including the Special Investigating Unit and the Hawks, to investigate what they describe as a blatant abuse of public office. Sedibe warned that failure to act would force the EFF’s hand, promising to take the matter to court and mobilize public demonstrations to demand accountability.
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“This is exactly the kind of rot we’ve been speaking about at the municipal level,” Sedibe added, accusing ANC officials of prioritizing personal gain over public service.
So far, Makhushe has not responded to the claims, and the ANC has remained tight-lipped, with sources suggesting the matter is being dealt with internally.
The allegations come at a precarious time for the ANC, which continues to grapple with public outcry over deep-rooted corruption and growing demands for cleaner governance.
