Controversy rages as new council is sworn in
Phala seemed misplaced as the house reverberated with murmurs. She finally responded by telling Molapo that it was "common practice" for the municipality to have a chief whip. The EFF members also accused the new speaker of "being disrespectful and biased in the council".
ATOK – ANC’s Tubatse subregion chairman, Mr Maudu Chorris Phokane was sworn in as the new mayor of the Greater Tubatse-Fetakgomo Municipality (GTFM) at the Moses Mabotha community hall on August 17.
The ANC’s,
Ms Naomi Phala was elected as speaker of the council. She told the new councillors‚ “You need to focus your energy on putting the interest and welfare of people first.”
Phala outnumbered the DA’s Mr Phineas Makofane in the votes. She garnered
56 votes while Makofane received five. A total of 15 members from the EFF refused to participate in the election of the speaker.
There was a controversy as the EFF caucus raised multiple objections, indicating that it was “useless and worthless” for the GTFM to elect a chief whip. They also questioned the IEC’s decision to offer the ANC seven seats in the GTFM’s executive committee (Exco) while they were given two and the DA one seat.
The objections were directed to the new speaker who immediately took to the podium after being elected. “There is no need for a chief whip. It is time consuming and just a tactic of the ANC to divide the managerial positions. Speaker, there is no law that obliges the council to elect the chief whip.
“You are wasting the time of the elders and the traditional leaders in this house,” said EFF member, Mr Walter Molapo.
Phala seemed misplaced as the house reverberated with murmurs. She finally responded by telling Molapo that it was “common practice” for the municipality to have a chief whip. The EFF members also accused the new speaker of “being disrespectful and biased in the council”.
There was no elective process for the whip, with the ANC youth league leader, Mr Vincent Shoba being sworn in as the chief whip of the council. Phokane was inaugurated as the first mayor of the merged GTFM. Phokane was elected unopposed, and will lead the municipality for the next five years. He took his mayoral seat amid cheers and ululations from the crowd.
He also revealed his Exco members who are dominated by ANC members, and acknowledged the attendees and traditional leaders who honoured the occasion. During his oath, the mayor vowed to work hard in ensuring the GTFM becomes a better place, and promised acceleration of services.
