SDM appoints new executive mayor

The resignation of Julia Mathebe as the Sekhukhune District Municipality’s (SDM) executive mayor on November 30 has resulted in the council replacing her with Cllr Maleke Mokganyetji.

On December 1, the SDM council elected Mokganyetji as the new mayor.

“This comes after Mathebe formally wrote a letter to the speaker of council and resigned as mayor with immediate effect from November 30,” said the communications officer, Khomotso Ndhlovu.

Mokganyetji, who is a teacher by profession, is the longest serving councillor at the SDM and has over 16 years’ experience in the local government sphere, having been at Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM) as member of the executive committee and chairperson of community services, chairperson of the local Aids council and a provincial executive committee for South African Local Government Association.

Mokganyetji was also a member of the mayoral committee responsible for budget and treasury before being elected the new mayor.

“I am humbled and honoured to be elected to lead this institution. It has always been my view that when all stakeholders work together for a common purpose, a lot can be achieved.
“I call upon stakeholders in the SDM to join me and work hand in glove with the municipality in order to ensure that we deliver basic services to the people of Sekhukhune,” she said.

Mokganyetji is the second female mayor of the SDM after Mathebe. The former mayor resigned after her arrest for her alleged involvement in the VBS Bank saga during her time as mayor of EMLM.

In 2019, EMLM invested R190m with the bank.

Mathebe and her accomplice, the former MM of EMLM, Minah Maredi, appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on November 23 on charges of corruption, money laundering and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Banks Act.

Their case was postponed to March 2.