Dr Kgosi Maepa: Advisor to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi
By Michael Beaumont
ActionSA National Chairperson
ActionSA has lodged a formal complaint with the IEC to investigate the ANC’s Kgoši Maepa for a series of repeated acts of disinformation against Tshwane Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, which ActionSA believes may constitute breaches of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The party will further proceed to lay criminal charges against Mr Maepa for the same actions, which we believe contravene section 69(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, 2000 (“the Act”). The Act prohibits the publication of false information with the intention of
influencing the outcome of an election.
In early August, allegations emerged publicly that Tlopo Construction, a firm that has reportedly done business with the City of Tshwane, had undertaken work at Mayor Moya’s private residence.
The allegations had been shopped around to various media outlet s as far back as July by desperate parties attempting to tarnish the image of Tshwane’s first working
mayor.
The Mayor quickly dispelled these allegations, providing evidence to journa lists that the work on her home was not undertaken by Tlopo Construction and was paid for entirely from her personal funds.
This did not stop Maepa and others from doubling down on their lies.
Maepa shared multiple posts on his X account accusing Mayor Moya of corruption, demanding that she “come clean” and accusing her of having a City contractor
undertake work at her private residence using public funds.
These posts went as far as using AI-generated WhatsApp chats to fabricate a conversation between the Mayor and a
contractor, including attributing words to the Mayor that she never wrote, in an attempt to incriminate her.
Accordingly, ActionSA has requested that the IEC investigate whether this conduct constitutes the publication of false or defamatory allegations in connection with an election in respect of a party’s candidate, contrary to clause 9(1)(b)(i) of the Electora l Code of Conduct, together
with any other applicable provisions of electoral law.
The laying of criminal charges against Maepa will follow.
Section 69(2)(c) of the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act states that no person may publish any false information
with the intention of influencing the conduct or outcome of an election.
The Act goes on to prescribe that a person found guilty of contravening this section may be liable to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding 10 years.
Kgoši Maepa is the last individual positioned to accuse others of misconduct and untruth.
He is, after all, known for his support of the fugitive Shepherd Bushiri and vociferously promoted the falsified rehabilitation certificate that purported to clear th e late Tshwane mayor Murunwa
Makwarela of his insolvency.
In May 2024, he claimed that the coalition leading Tshwane had switched off power as a form of electoral sabotage, and he has also claimed that other parties utilised state resources to fund their election campaigns.
Maepa’s remarks, and his deliberate us e of AI -fabricated WhatsApp conversations, have crossed the line into contravening the Code of Conduct and section 69(2)(c) of the Act.
Election season is in full swing, and political rhetoric has expectedly intensified. It is clear that the ANC is losing support in its former strongholds in Tshwane as a result of the work of Dr
Moya’s administration.
In less than two years, Dr Nasiphi Moy a has led a turnaround in the City of Tshwane, achieving what ANC governments prior to 2016, and DA governments after
2016, failed to achieve.
Finances have stabilised, credit ratings have improved, Eskom debt has been reduced, Auditor -General reports refl ect improvements, infrastructure spending has
increased to its highest levels, the first expansion of the metro police in 13 years has been initiated, and over 400 km of roads have been resurfaced.
Kgoši Maepa and the ANC are going to learn that there are consequences for these kinds of actions, and ActionSA looks forward to providing this education.
ActionSA stands resolutely behind Mayor Moya, and we undertake this action as a clear public step to protect her from
disinformation campaigns sponsored by those threatened by her success.
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