PIENAAR – Former ANC Mpumalanga treasurer, Mandla Msibi, has officially joined the newly formed Service Delivery Party (SDP), thus revealing his next political move following his resignation from the African National Congress (ANC).
Msibi was officially unveiled as the SDP’s National Convener during the party’s welcoming ceremony at the eNkomeni Sports Ground in Pienaar on Tuesday, 19 May, before a capacity crowd.The former MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs was also introduced as the party’s mayoral candidate for the Mbombela Local Municipality.
The announcement comes weeks after Msibi confirmed his resignation from the ANC following the party’s 14th Provincial Conference, where he was not re-elected to the ANC Provincial Executive Committee.
Addressing supporters, Msibi announced that he was approached by the party’s leadership to join the SDP following his resignation from the ANC, adding that his departure from the ruling party was not influenced by anger or conflict.
READ | ANC Mpumalanga recalls Mandla Msibi
“I did not inform anyone when I resigned because it was a personal decision. I did not resign because I was angry, but because I felt I had served and reached the level I wanted to reach. After my resignation, they approached me, we sat down and reached an agreement,” he said.
He also used the platform to rally supporters ahead of the upcoming local government elections on 4 November, calling on party members to begin mobilising communities and strengthening party structures.
“The aim of the Service Delivery Party is not to rule, but to serve communities. We must focus on building our own organisation and serving people,” he said.
His latest political move has already sparked widespread debate and reactions on social media, with many closely watching the emergence of the SDP and what it could mean for Mpumalanga’s political landscape ahead of future elections.
SDP founder and National Coordinator, Thabo Motau, described the party as a community-driven movement aimed at restoring service delivery and empowering neglected communities.
Motau said the party seeks to position itself as a grassroots alternative, focused on delivering quality basic services while prioritising transparency, accountability and community involvement. The party also outlined plans to prioritise neighbourhood safety, local economic development and self-sustained community economies aimed at improving service delivery and creating safer communities.
