Pretoria – Two of Limpopo’s five District Municipalities will now be led by women executive mayors.
This comes after the provincial leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) in the province agreed to deploy Florence Rumani and Rosina Mokgotloane as executive mayors of Vhembe and Waterberg district municipalities respectively.
Rumani, who replaces Falaza Mdaka, is the second female executive mayor of the district municipality situated in the far northern part of Limpopo.
The ruling ANC, which managed to retain 100 percent control of all municipalities in the province, also decided to keep Lawrence Mapoulo in Capricorn, Joshua Matlou in Mopani and David Magabe in Sekhukhune District.
In all the 24 local municipalities, the ANC deployed new mayors in more than 15 municipalities and only retained a few.
The retained mayors include Freddy Greaver of Polokwane, Mavhungu Luruli of Makhado, Kuki Sefala of Fetakgomo, Yvonne Mankola of Ephraim Mogale, Pule Mafologelo of Maruleng, Godfrey Modjadji of Greater Letaba and Blouberg mayor, Seriti Sekgoloane.
Grace Mahosi, who replaces khosi Vho-Thivhulawi Makumbane, is the first female mayor of Thulamela municipality.
ANC provincial spokesperson, David Masondo, said the electoral victory is not a blank cheque for their mayors and councillors to do as they wish.
Masondo said they have to be the real representatives of the people in line with the ANC values, principles and programmes as entailed in the 2011 electoral manifesto.
“The ANC manifesto was not just a list of commitments. These are implementable programmes that the organisation will carry out together with our people,” he said.
Masondo conceded their municipal financial audit outcomes were not impressive.
“In line with the 2014 Clean Audit goals, the ANC will ensure that our municipalities’ financial management capacity is improved,” he said.
The ANC provincial leadership also rejected media reports that they will allegedly reward its senior cadres regarded as close allies of ANC Youth League president Julius Malema with strategic positions in municipalities.
“It is simply not true that Malema has a grip or power over the ANC leadership in the province.
The deployment of cadres of the ANC and its allies in various strategic sites of power, particularly in municipalities, is the prerogative [and] responsibility of the ANC’s Deployment Committee and its structures,” said Masondo. – Nthambeleni Gabara, BuaNews
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