Election of West Rand mayor a ‘progressive move from arrogant DA’, says EFF

The West Rand District Municipality has a new mayor from a party that only has one seat in the council.

Thabiso Bovungana of the African Independent Congress (AIC) was elected mayor on Tuesday.

This after former executive mayor, Hullet Hild, a Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, was removed last week Tuesday during a special sitting of the West Rand District in Randfontein.

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Motion of no confidence

He was ousted along with the whip of council, Alme Swart, also a councillor from the DA, through a motion of no confidence supported by the African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African Independent Congress (AIC).

Bovungana received 29 votes, while Hild received 13, from the 42 councillors present in the 44-seat municipality.

The ANC’s Brenda Mahuma was also elected as a new whip. She also received 29 votes from the 42 councillors present.

Ramp up service delivery

Gauteng MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, E-government, research and development Mzi Khumalo welcomed the appointments and reiterated his commitment to working with municipalities to implement stability.

“We wish the newly elected officials well in their responsibilities and urge all the political parties in council to act in the best interests of communities. We urge the municipality to ramp up much needed service delivery to the communities of the West Rand,” said Khumalo.

Progressive move

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) echoed Khumalo’s sentiments, adding that the appointment was a progressive move from the “arrogant” DA towards a more accountable, respectful and effective governance in the West Rand.

“The DA coalition has been characterised by instability attributed to the paternalistic behaviour of the DA to its partners. The DA is also known for directing resources meant for services to white-dominated areas and leaving black people stranded,” said the party in a statement.

“The immediate task ahead is the establishment people’s government that will respond to challenges of housing and dolomitic lands, that will prioritize the building of water and road infrastructure, that will hold mines accountable for their social labor plans, create jobs for the youth, and address the issues of crime, especially Gender-Based Violence and vandalism on electricity infrastructure in the West Rand.”

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*Additional reporting by: Thapelo Lekabe