District Council finally elects office bearers
GROBLERSDAL – Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) Council last Tuesday elected Julia Mathebe as Speaker, Stanley Ramaila as Executive Mayor and Kgwediyebotse Chego as Chief Whip at the Groblersdal Agricultural Hall.
Johannes Phokane who is former Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality Mayor was elected as Chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.
According to the district municipality all the mentioned councilors were elected uncontested. They were congradulated by all political parties represented in council – African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Democratic Alliance (DA), Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA), SADA and SAMEBA.
New Council Speaker, Julia Mathebe, who henceforth will preside over council meetings, promised to make it easier for councilors to perform their duties.
In his acceptance speech, Executive Mayor Ramaila acknowledged that the people of Sekhukhune were tired of excuses and all they wanted was to receive services they deserved.
“People in the district want water. Even though they are aware of the historical neglect by successive colonial and apartheid governments, that built no water infrastructure for them, they don’t want excuses,” Ramaila.
He said people simply wanted to see them working toward providing them with the all-important service – water.
Executive Mayor Ramaila also announced a team of Mayoral Committee which will assist in the execution of the executive mandate. Bella Kupa for Community Safety, Maleke Mokganyetji for Planning and Economic Development, Orginia Mafefe for Cooperate Services, Frank Ratau for Budget and Treasury, Kukie Sefala for Infrastructure and Water Services, Mathale Matabane and Marriam Malatji are two Deputy MMCs for Infrastructure and Water Services, Jan Mohlala for Youth and Baatseba Leshaba for Women, Children and People living with disability.
A notable change is that the Infrastructure and Water Services portfolio now has two deputies who will assist Kukie Sefala in fast tracking the provision of water services to the communities.
Of the ten members of the mayoral committee, inclusive of the executive mayor, four are males and six are females, a move that is testament to Executive Ramaila’s recognition of women’s abilities to lead in all facets of society.
The political management team, which comprises Speaker, Executive Mayor and Chief Whip also consists of a female, Julia Mathebe.
