Lephalale local municipality to swear in new DA mayor

The Lephalale local municipality council in Limpopo is expected to hold a special sitting tomorrow, to swear in the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Nico Pienaar as the new mayor.

Pienaar was elected to replace African National Congress (ANC) mayor, Alpheus Thulare during a special sitting which was marred by infighting between ANC councillors last week. Pienaar was voted mayor with nine votes after three ANC councillors decided to vote with the DA.

This is the third municipality in Limpopo to be led by a DA mayor, after the coalition-led Thabazimbi and Modimolle-Mookgophong local municipalities. The DA’s Beyers Smit says they are pleased to benefit from ANC squabbles.

“Well ANC is destroying itself and that is our benefit and as our leader says don’t interrupt a good fight so it shows there is a great opportunity and a ball of change is rolling so we are looking at 2024 I think we going to see some shockers coming in,”

Limpopo ANC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka says they will institute disciplinary action against the councilors who voted with the DA.

“We have requested a report from the speak and the chief whip what you must understand is that any person who is found in the wrongdoing of a directive will face the full might of the party’s internal processes you will understand that councilors are serving at the interest of the party and councillors should be acting against the party,”he said.

Some residents in Lephalale say they are hopeful that the newly elected DA municipal mayor, Nico Pienaar will fast-track service delivery. Residents say they want the new mayor to fix sewage problems and create employment.

“As a resident with the special council that was taken, we feel that the service delivery could go to the people because DA people should not feel that DA should not only

consider their people because with ANC to get opportunities you have to belong to their organisation  in the past when we were dealing with ANC we did not see any change if you look around they are sewage problems and it’s now time for Nico to intervene,”said the resident.