Post to be filled after mayor’s untimely death
THE ANC in the West Rand is expected to announce its mayoral-elect in Mogale City Local Municipality in Krugersdorp today following the death of former mayor Patrick Naga Lipudi on Sunday.
The party is due to hold a special caucus meeting with the aim of finding a replacement for Lipudi – one of the frontrunners was likely to be the incumbent Speaker Noluthando Mangole.
Lipudi became one of South Africa’s
first councillors to dismantle the 2016 DA-led coalition governments in Gauteng and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. He successfully replaced DA mayor Mike Hollenstein June 2017 after a vote of no confidence was passed against him. However, his tenure as mayor was not smooth sailing – the EFF in October 2017 fired six of its members for passing his budget vote.
Lipudi died at Helen Joseph Hospital on Sunday following a short illness. He was aged 59. Party insiders told Independent Media that the ANC would have a caucus meeting today to discuss his replacement, including preparations for his burial.
Yesterday, party members in Mogale City in Krugersdorp held closed meetings with premier David Makhura to discuss whether it should be a full civic funeral or special provincial one.
Lipudi was serving in the provincial ANC executive under Makhura.
Gauteng’s MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile, said: “On behalf of the Gauteng provincial government, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Lipudi family, his colleagues in Exco and his organisation, the African National Congress.” He said
Lipudi died at a time when the Gauteng government was working hard to strengthen co-operative governance to expedite service delivery – especially in poor and working class communities.
“His departure from the land of the living robs the community of Mogale City one of an upright, incorruptible and humble servant, who was dedicated to the service of the people.”
The ANC in Gauteng said Lipudi was an “unassuming and humble person who was a true servant of the people”. As a long-standing member of the ANC, he previously served in the West Rand regional executive committee and was one of the longest-serving regional secretaries. He was also elected to the provincial executive committee of the ANC in Gauteng.
He was deployed to government as a member of the mayoral committee and chief whip in the West Rand district municipality, and as the speaker of the council before being elected mayor of Mogale City.