MBOMBELA — Former African National Congress (ANC) provincial treasurer Mandla Msibi has found a new political home after officially joining the newly formed Service Delivery Party (SDP), a move that sparked mixed reactions from members of the public.
Msibi was unveiled as the party’s national convener and mayoral candidate for the City of Mbombela during a gathering held in Pienaar near Mbombela on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, where the SDP also outlined plans to contest the upcoming local government elections.
The announcement had been highly anticipated, with many closely watching to see what Msibi’s next political move would be following his resignation from the ANC after the party’s recent provincial conference, where he failed to retain his position as provincial treasurer.
SDP national coordinator Thabo Motau said Msibi would lead the party’s national mobilisation and organisational programmes in his role as national convener.
Motau said the SDP was formed in response to growing frustrations over poor municipal services, corruption and the lack of accountability in local government.
“We want leadership that listens to communities and responds to their daily challenges,” said Motau. “People are tired of empty promises while basic services continue to collapse.”
He said the party would prioritise water provision, electricity, road maintenance and local economic development.
“We believe decision-making must start from the ground up,” he added.
Msibi said the party aimed to restore public trust and place communities at the centre of governance.
“We are building a movement that puts service delivery first and gives communities a voice,” said Msibi.
He added that political leaders should focus on serving residents instead of competing for positions.
“Leadership is not about titles. It is about working for the people and responding to their daily struggles,” he said.
Msibi also called on young people and community leaders to join the party’s structures ahead of the elections.
The announcement drew mixed reactions on social media and within communities across Mpumalanga.
“That’s a great leader,” one social media user commented, while another said Msibi should be given an opportunity to lead. “Who knows, maybe he can help us here in Mpumalanga,” the resident said.
Others, however, criticised the move, describing it as “a very old strategy”, arguing that politicians often move to other parties after losing influence in their former political homes.
Another resident claimed that while Msibi was still a member of the ANC, service delivery challenges continued to affect communities.
Some members of the public also raised concerns about corruption, warning that the SDP could risk “infiltration” by former ANC leaders who leave the party before it “sinks”.
Despite the criticism, the SDP said it plans to establish structures across provinces ahead of the local government elections.
The ANC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
