Theewaterskloof mayor removed ahead of 2026 local government elections - IOL

Theewaterskloof-Municipality-_1_.jpg Theewaterskloof Municipality has been rocked by yet another mayoral shake-up just weeks before the local elections.

Theewaterskloof executive mayor Lincoln de Bruyn has been removed from office after a motion brought by the ANC, Patriotic Alliance and EFF was passed during a council sitting on Wednesday.

His removal, the latest political upheaval to hit the municipality, comes just weeks before the 4 November local government elections. Cape Forum has urged residents to “fix the mistakes” they made at the ballot box.

His removal comes just weeks before the local government elections on 4 November.

Theewaterskloof has now had five mayors since the November 2021 local government elections, with political instability continuing to plague the municipality.

Cape Forum chairperson Heindrich Wyngaard, who is also a resident of Theewaterskloof, said residents now had an opportunity to change the political direction of the municipality.

“Cape Forum believes it's time to turn off the lights so that this circus that has been going on in Theewaterskloof for so long can come to an end. Political parties are clearly less bothered about service delivery and more fixated on positions," he said.

Wyngaard said the latest mayoral removal should serve as a warning to voters ahead of the election.

He added: “This should send a clear message to voters and residents that there is an opportunity to fix the mistakes they made by voting for these parties. Now there is an opportunity to vote for parties that will assist with the financial recovery of the municipality.”

The political turmoil follows years of coalition instability in Theewaterskloof.

De Bruyn, a DA councillor, became mayor in August 2024 following a political realignment, but was removed a month later. His removal and the appointment of his replacement were subsequently set aside by the High Court.

He returned to the mayoral position and has now been removed again.

Lincoln de Bruyn has been removed as Theewaterskloof executive mayor.

DA Western Cape leader Tertuis Simmers also criticised De Bruyn’s removal, accusing the ANC, PA and EFF of contributing to instability.

Simmers, in a statement on Thursday said: “The ANC and PA once again joined forces to remove Mayor De Bruyn. While these parties continue to obsess about political positions, residents are left to deal with the consequences.”

“Local government should be about delivering reliable services, creating opportunities and bettering lives of residents,” he added.

He said De Bruyn and municipal officials had focused on stabilising the municipality’s finances under a Financial Recovery Plan.

“Despite having to mop up the financial mess left by the ANC/PA coalition, Mayor De Bruyn and his municipal teams focused on stabilising its finances under the Financial Recovery Plan while maintaining essential services and engaging transparently with communities,” Simmers said.