Chaos in Free State council as mayor defies recall
Lakaje-mosia refuses to sign resignation letter
A Free State ANC region is in turmoil after an interim mayor of Maluti-a-phofung defied a directive by a senior party leader to quit her position just a few weeks after a senior NEC leader was deployed there to quell bickering among leaders.
The latest development in Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality comes after the party’s first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane spent two weeks in the region in an attempt to bring peace among her comrades.
In the latest standoff, Masechaba Lakaje-mosia, the acting mayor of the financially struggling municipality, allegedly defied an order by Ketso “Toto” Makume, the ANC MEC for corporate governance and traditional affairs and Jeff Mohapi, the regional secretary, to resign.
Sources have revealed to Sunday World that the ANC demanded her resignation due to allegations that she was campaigning for the party’s former secretary-general Ace Magashule’s newly formed organisation, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT). She was also accused of completely neglecting the ANC’S campaigns.
According to Sunday World sources, Lakaje-mosia was summoned to the council’s offices at night and handed a prepared letter of resignation for her to sign.
Insiders in Lakaje-mosia circles said she then requested permission to visit her family in Makwane village, a 2km drive from Phuthaditjhaba to inform them of developments.
“Masechaba received permission to travel to her family with her three bodyguards to inform them of her decision to resign as interim mayor. However, her family members advised her not to succumb to Toto and Jeff’s bullying. They told her that she must not resign since the resignation letter was not even drafted by her,” said an insider.
The unsigned resignation letter dated May 7, which was addressed to council speaker Mandlenkosi Dlamini and was seen by Sunday World, reads in part: “I hereby wish to inform the speaker of my resignation as an executive mayor of Maluti-a-phofung, effective from the date of this letter. I wish to thank my organisation, the African National Congress, for entrusting me with the responsibility to serve the community of the Greater Maluti as an executive mayor, which I believe I have performed to the best of my abilities.”
According to another source, Lakaje-mosia was warned she would lose her bodyguards in the same manner as when the opposition party, MAP16, ousted the ANC in the 2019 local elections.
A council executive committee member told Sunday World that when Lakaje-mosia was deployed, she was supposed to be at the helm for two months and that the ANC would appoint a new mayor.
“Magogo (Lakaje-mosia) was just placed there as an interim mayor for two months until the ANC had sorted out its issues on who should be appointed as mayor but she ended up running the show for seven months,” said the councillor.
“Her lack of knowledge about the municipality’s operations stems from her limited educational background. She doesn’t even know how to analyse reports or understand the day-today running business of the municipality,” said the councillor.
According to the ANC official, Mokonyane spent two weeks in Qwaqwa, where she stated that the regional and provincial leadership should finalise the appointment of the new mayor.
“In February, the ANC’S national and provincial panel of assessors held interviews for the
Magogo was just placed there as an interim mayor for two months
appointment of the new mayor and Masechaba (Lakaje-mosia ) failed to make the cut, and this is what made her revolt, as she thought that she was going to be reappointed as mayor,” said our mole.
Asked for comment Lakaje-mosia said: “Where did you hear such news? Unfortunately, I can’t comment because I have flu and I am booked off by my doctor. Are you forcing me to say I refused to resign?”