SEDIBENG. – The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) in Sedibeng is forcing the hand of the Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) in having a meeting held where a Motion of No Confidence (MoNC) against its Executive Mayor, Lerato Maloka, is supposed to be tabled.

On January 21, the PAC – through its councillors – tabled the MoNC in anticipation of a Council Meeting.

During the SDM Council Meeting convened on January 30, the motion was formally noted, and it was further resolved that the motion would be dealt with at another Council Meeting scheduled for February 25.

On February 20, they received the agenda for the forthcoming meeting, where the motion was listed as item 11 on the agenda.

However, on February 23, two days before the scheduled meeting, the PAC received notice from the Office of the Speaker that the meeting had been postponed.

The reason provided for the postponement, it is said, was that the Adjustment Budget for the 2025/2026 financial year had not yet been considered by the Mayoral Committee, whose meeting had not been convened.

“The PAC caucus views the continued delay in convening Council as a direct attempt to frustrate democratic accountability, particularly the Motion of No Confidence that has been tabled against the ANC Executive Mayor,” said PAC’s Apa Pooe.

Pooe added that once the process of removing the ANC Mayor in Sedibeng is concluded, the PAC will immediately shift its focus to Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), where the situation of governance and financial management has reached intolerable levels.

A letter from PAC’s lawyers, demanding the meeting be held, seen by Sedibeng Ster said, “In the circumstances, our client finds the postponement of the Council Meeting to be irregular, unreasonable and procedurally unfair, particularly because the motion had already been formally noted by Council and duly placed on the agenda for consideration at the meeting scheduled for February 25.

From Ramalivha Attorneys, the letter is addressed to:

•            Moipone Molikeng (Ex Speaker of Council, Sedibeng District Municipality)

•            Lerato Maloka (The Executive Mayor, Sedibeng District Municipality)

•            Motsumi Mathe (Municipal Manager, Sedibeng District Municipality) and

•            Lebohang Maile, (Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Department of Finance and Economic Development)

“Our client is accordingly concerned that the decision to postpone the meeting may have been taken for ulterior purposes and in a manner that is inconsistent with the principles of legality, accountability, and transparency which underpin the system of local government. Our client’s preference remains that this matter be resolved without the need for judicial intervention. However, should the circumstances necessitate such action, our client will not hesitate to pursue the remedies available to it in law.”

• An enquiry sent to the SDM about the matter remained unanswered at the time of going to print.