In a breakthrough moment for grassroots politics in the City of Matlosana, Poloko Sekgweleo has secured a hard-fought council seat for the United Africans Transformation (UAT) in Ward 35 during the 2026 local government elections.
Contesting Ward 35 for the very first time since the party’s formation on November 15, 2022, Sekgweleo carved out a historic second-place finish in a ward historically dominated by the African National Congress (ANC) in first place and previously held in second place by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Sekgweleo captured 668 votes, translating to 15.56% of the valid votes cast in the ward. Across all wards contested by the UAT in Matlosana, Sekgweleo’s tally stands as the party’s highest individual performance.
The party’s presence in other local wards recorded lower totals, including 181 votes in Ward 27, 121 votes in Ward 4, 55 votes in Ward 8, 54 votes in Ward 13, 54 votes in Ward 38, and a single vote in Ward 1.
Reflecting on his victory and speaking to City Report, Sekgweleo pivoted immediately from celebration to the stark realities of municipal governance, addressing the region’s deep-seated housing crisis.
“Building houses from my own pocket proves my heart is with the people, but charity alone cannot solve a systemic housing backlog,” Sekgweleo asserted.
Detailing his plans for the municipality, the newly elected councillor outlined a concrete vision to transform service delivery from the ground up.
He promised to audit and unlock stalled municipal housing projects, remove corrupt contractors who abandon construction sites, and build partnerships through Public-Private Partnerships.
Furthermore, Sekgweleo pledged to implement a transparent, digitized housing waiting list to root out favoritism and corruption, ensuring that the municipality’s most vulnerable residents are prioritized and that housing development finally happens at scale.
