U-turn - Patriotic Alliance's Elizabeth Lethoko withdraws resignation as mayor of troubled Ditsobotla municipality

Patriotic Alliance (PA) councillor Elizabeth Lethoko has withdrawn her resignation as mayor of the troubled Ditsobotla Local Municipality in North West. 

Lethoko had resigned from the position just hours after her election on Monday in the newly formed council. In her letter to the Speaker, Lethoko said her conscience would not allow her to continue in the role following a “display of blatant corruption in the council”.

This was after she said the ANC had tried to sneak in the appointment of the acting municipal manager before the council could take a decision on the matter. 

Speaking to Daily Maverick on Wednesday evening, PA Deputy President Kenny Kunene said they had talks with their coalition partners, which include the ANC, and reached an agreement that the mayor must withdraw her resignation. 

“The Speaker has indicated that the letter was not yet processed, so the withdrawal is accepted and therefore the mayor of the PA will lead that municipality.” 

He added that they also spoke with the African Heart Congress, which is part of the coalition. 

“Their president accepted our input and said they are also on board. The ANC will go to speak to Forum 4 Service Delivery. On Friday, all the coalition partners are meeting to map a way forward for the councillors.” 

Commenting on the vacant municipal manager post, Kunene said the council would meet and decide as a collective whether they would accept the proposal of someone being deployed by the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance or whether the council would appoint someone directly while the post is advertised.

Meanwhile, another coalition partner, Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD), said it rejected the PA’s attempt to withdraw the resignation of the mayor. 

“We are wondering what has changed and what enticed them [the PA] to attempt to withdraw the resignation,” said F4SD National Working Committee member Thapelo Makgale. 

“In all the shenanigans by the PA, coalition partners were never consulted; instead we established through the media that Lethoko has resigned,” added Makgale. 

The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Nono Maloyi, said the mayor’s resignation had come as a shock as it was agreed long before the elections that administrator James Mashigo, who is a chief director in the North West Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, would be seconded to the municipality to assume the role of acting municipal manager until the council had convened to take a decision on the matter.