GTM mayoress proud to be a woman

Mmetle comes from a family of five children and was raised by a single mother, who always encouraged her to be independent and to put her trust in God.

She took the mayoral office in June 2011, after her predecessor Othaniel Mushwana, as the first female mayor in GTM.

“I will always be grateful for the opportunity the African National Congress (ANC) gave me, because I realise that I was not better than the other candidates who ran for the position,” said Mmetle.

The mayor has a few other titles behind her name, some of which include: Current chairperson of the African National Congress Women’s League in Mopani district, former communications manager at Letaba Hospital, GTM PR councilor and paralegal secretary (parliamentary office in Rita).

“Women’s day means a lot to me, especially because the 1956 march, gave me a chance to be in a leadership position,” said Mmetle when asked what August 9 means to her.

The mayor said that she wished that women could support each other and stop with the “pull her down sydrome,” as it sometimes gives men the impression that females are weak and hate each other. Mmetle says she admires people such as Dr Joseph Muhlarhi, Dr Meshack Mbokoto, Phuti Seloba (spokesperson of Limpopo Department of Health) and Maite Nkoana Mashabane (minister of International Relations and Cooperation).

She says that her legacy as mayor is GTM infrastructure, roads connecting rural and urban areas, mayor’s financial assistance to Grade12’s, mayor’s charity cup, Tzaneen’s Olympic size swimming pool and The Nkowankowa sports centre.

“After my term as mayor, I want to focus more on my spiritual life, as I hardly had time to focus on my faith, because of the weight of my job,” said Mmetle when asked how does her future look like after leaving office. The mayor says she’d likes to thank the community of the GTM, all the stakeholders with whom she worked and she wishes the next mayor all the best and she will always be there to assist wherever she can.