This as the embattled mayor of the municipality, Thandiwe Reachable, officially resigned during a community meeting on Monday after an intervention by her political party, the African National Congress (ANC). Resident and community leader, Monaheng Khomojong, tells OFM News that there are still important outstanding issues, such as the alleged fraud and corruption and appalling service delivery by the municipality. OFM News previously reported that the town was the scene of violent protests with rampant destruction of property, amongst others. Khomojong says the irate residents - on their long list of demands - also want cases against arrested protestors to be dropped.

Residents have previously complained to OFM News about police brutality in the area. Residents said their rights have been violated on numerous occasions. In November 2018, residents marched to the Local Magistrate's Court to hand over their memorandum of demands. On Monday, the ANC party welcomed Reachable’s resignation but dispelled the myth around the party’s intervention on the issues that were raised by irate residents in that area. The ANC provincial spokesperson, Thabo Meeko, told OFM News that the decision by the embattled Reachable to resign has nothing to do with threats made by residents to boycott the upcoming general elections on 8 May 2019.

OFM News