She said the primary aim of the new leadership is to sustain good work done by her predecessors. She was officially inaugurated with members of the mayoral commmittee (MMCs) in the mayor’s parlour in Vereeniging last Thursday.

Modisakeng said the success of the district will be based on stable and financial viability, ten flagship projects, and a working relationship between district and local municipalities. The power and functions of the district will help shape the government for 2016 elections.

Gretha Hlongwane, former executive mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), was sworn in as the new speaker of SDM. Modisakeng, former speaker of the district, graduated into the position left by Simon Mofokeng, who is now the new executive mayor of Emfuleni. Velly Mcera, Khulu Malindi and Mabandla Ronyuza, have been deployed to serve as the Sedibeng MMCs for Human Settlement; the Environment and Clean Energy; Strategic Planning and Economic Development, respectively. The well-versed former MMC for Human Settlements, Assistance Mshudulu, is now the Chief Whip of Sedibeng District Municipality.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura will present his State of the Province Address 2016 (Sopa) for the first time in the Sedibeng district. That will be followed by the adoption of the 2015/16 IDP and the State of the District Address.

Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip Jaco Karsten and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, PAC, Appa Pooe welcomed the new deployment of the MMCs with open arms and wished them good luck in the remaining seven months before next year’s local government elections.

Speaking during his inauguration also on Thursday at the mayor’s parlour in Vanderbijlpark Mofokeng said that he is going to do all in his power to make sure that everything runs smooth in the ELM. Meanwhile critics believe that the most immediate and greatest task for Mofokeng in the ELM is to shape the region ahead of the 2016 local elections.

lazarus.dithagiso@media24.com