The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Proportional Representative Councillor (PR), Bongani Nkosi, was yesterday, 27th November 2024, elected the new Mogale City Deputy Executive Mayor during the 41st Special Council sitting held at the Council Chamber.
Nkosi, the lone IFP Councillor in Mogale City, was elected unopposed after an intense debate amongst the coalition partner councillors of the Government of Local Unity (GLU) formed by the EFF and ANC against those of the DA, FF+ and ACDP.
The position of the Deputy Executive Mayor as the second in-charge office bearer was approved by the Gauteng MEC of Cogta and Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, who is empowered to do so through Municipal Structures Act.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) led by its Chief Whip, Councillor Lesego Lekoto, debated against the item being part of the standing agenda, while the recently elected Executive Mayor Councillor Lucky Sele led the ANC coalition and argued in favour of the item.
After a lengthily debate, councillors voted on the matter, and 29 councillors voted against, while 44 voted in favour of the item. During the election processes, the DA and its coalition partners indicate that they will not participate in the process.
This led to Councillor Nkosi being nominated and elected unopposed. Councillor Nkosi becomes the first councillor to assume the first ever position of Deputy Executive Mayor since the dawn of democracy. Nkosi was previously elected to a variety of positions before being elected the Deputy Executive Mayor.
He served as Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Human Settlement, and later occupied the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) chair. His political acumen saw him also occupying the position of MMC for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Museum and Heritage.
In his acceptance speech, Deputy Executive Mayor Nkosi thanked his party for showing confidence in him and all the councillors that he worked with and those who voted him.
He said: “I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to my fellow councillors, the Municipal Manager, and the entire municipal team for their tireless efforts in ensuring the smooth functioning of our municipality.
Your dedication and commitment to serve our communities are truly commendable. As we embark on this new journey together, I pledge to work tirelessly to promote unity, inclusivity, and progress in our municipality,” Nkosi said.
He added that: “To my fellow councillors, I would like to thank the ANC and EFF for their unwavering support and commitment to the Government of Local Unity. Together we will work tirelessly to ensure that our municipality is a place where everyone has access to opportunities, resources and services.”
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