ActionSA’s new Polokwane mayoral candidate, Victor Mothemela.
In a dramatic shift for ActionSA’s campaign in Limpopo, the party’s provincial chairperson, Victor Mothemela, has been officially named as its new Polokwane mayoral candidate.
The high-stakes replacement was announced during a media briefing in Polokwane on Friday by ActionSA Provincial Secretary Shobane Mafona. The decision directly follows the abrupt withdrawal of whistle blower and former ANC activist Thapelo Molepo earlier this week.
Mafona explained that the decision to replace Molepo came directly from the highest levels of the party.
“This decision was not made by the provincial executive on its own, it was a decision that was taken by the national leadership to say in Polokwane we need a very strong man or woman who will be able to take this party forward. Remember Polokwane is the capital city of this province, and it has a lot of activities going on especially on the service delivery aspect,” Mafona told reporters.
From Whistle blower to the Butt of Political Jokes
The rapid fall of Thapelo Molepo came as a surprise across Limpopo’s political landscape. Molepo rose to provincial prominence after blowing the whistle on an alleged R700 million tender corruption scandal inside the Polokwane Municipality. His public clash with current Polokwane Executive Mayor John Mpe led to his suspension and eventual departure from the ruling ANC.
When ActionSA President Herman Mashaba unveiled Molepo three months ago, he was framed as the young, fearless face of the party’s fight against local government corruption.
However, his tenure ended abruptly via internal communication. Following his removal, Molepo was conspicuously absent from Friday’s media briefing.
The sudden turnaround has made Molepo the butt of jokes across Polokwane, particularly from his former colleagues in the ANC. Ruling party supporters and local political figures have mocked his quick dismissal, pointing out that he was dropped via a simple text message before being removed from party chat groups. ANC commentators in the region have labeled him “politically homeless”—teasing that ActionSA used his whistleblower profile for quick headlines before discarding him when the national leadership stepped in.
Molepo broke his silence with a guarded message posted to his personal Facebook account: “I will respond when the time is right, for now everything must continue to self-reveal!”
A Shift to Internal Heavyweights
By stepping directly into the candidate slot, Mothemela brings a vastly different background to the mayoral race. A former SADF Corporal and SAPS Detective Sergeant from Seshego Zone 1, Mothemela has been serving as ActionSA’s provincial chairperson and key organizational figure in Limpopo.
The national leadership’s direct intervention signals that ActionSA is prioritizing seasoned administrative control over activist appeal in Limpopo’s capital city.
Are Other Mayoral Candidates Safe?
The sharp pivot in Polokwane has raised obvious questions about whether other recently announced ActionSA mayoral candidates across Limpopo could face similar sudden changes.
Among those recently unveiled are Dr. Mikia Ramothwala for the Greater Tzaneen Municipality and Maripe Mangena, the former mayor of Tzaneen, nominated for the Mopani District Municipality.
Unlike Molepo, who was brought in as a high-profile activist and whistle blower, candidates like Ramothwala and Mangena offer deep, established administrative and governance experience. Ramothwala brings decades of senior public health management experience, while Mangena offers direct executive experience in municipal governance.
Because Mothemela’s appointment in Polokwane was driven by the national leadership’s desire for an established leader in the provincial capital, positions in Tzaneen and Mopani appear secure for now.
High Stakes for ActionSA
The sudden change of leadership in Polokwane shows that ActionSA is willing to make rapid moves to protect its interests in key capital cities.
While national leadership expressed full confidence in Mothemela, the swift removal of a high-profile candidate like Molepo carries real political risks. As the local government elections near, ActionSA must prove to voters in Polokwane that this major shift brings stability and better service delivery rather than internal division.