Ex-Tshwane mayor quits DA
This comes as Mokgalapa had taken special leave shortly after an audio recording alleged to have been pertaining sexual activity between the himself and Tshwane Roads and transport MMC Sheila Senkubuge was leaked in November, last year.
Former Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has left his political home, the DA.
Mokgalapa confirmed to Pretoria Rekord that he had resigned as both a member of the DA and as a councillor.
“A new door and new chapter is opening for me. The DA door is closed and the chapter is over. At the right time, I will announce the opportunity opening up to me,” he said.
Mokgalapa went on special leave shortly after an audio recording allegedly pertaining to sexual activity between him and former Tshwane roads and transport MMC Sheila Senkubuge was leaked in November last year.
In the audio, Mokgalapa and Senkubuge could allegedly be heard making damning and derogatory comments about DA members and political opponents.
In the 29-minute recording, the two allegedly gossiped about his predecessor; plotted to fire a city official over the billions of rands GladAfrica saga; were derogatory towards other members of the mayoral committee; celebrated a win over the ANC’s Kgosi Maepa, who had brought a legal bid to have an urgent case against the metro heard at the Gauteng High Court; and spoke about repossessing a new BMW X5 used by the chief of the Tshwane metro police.
The two office bearers were also alleged to have engaged in sexual intercourse as gleaned from the recording.
The former mayor had been expected to return to work on 1 February, while Senkubuge resigned from office shortly after the story broke.
Mokgalapa resigned before the end of February as mayor.
The two opened a blackmail and extortion docket at the Brooklyn police station shortly after the audio went viral.
“It is with regret that I inform the people of Tshwane and my colleagues in my party, the DA, that I intend resigning as executive mayor of the city of Tshwane before the next council meeting at the end of February,” he said in a statement at the time.
DA Gauteng provincial chairperson Mike Moriarty said the DA noted the resignation.
“We thank Mokgalapa for his service and wish him well with his future endeavours, whatever they may be.”
The DA’s Randall Williams has since replaced Mokgalapa as the new Tshwane mayor.
Williams won Friday’s mayoral elections with 97 votes out of 123 at the Tshwane metro council chambers in Pretoria.
Read original story on rekordeast.co.za
