Jubilation as Ramaphosa allies elected mayors

Jubilation was the order of the day at two district municipalities in Limpopo after ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s political allies were elected executive mayors on Thursday.

Dowelani Nenguda and Stan Ramaila were elected uncontested as executive mayors for the Vhembe and Sekhukhune district municipalities respectively.

Nenguda’s appointment was, marred by controversy as his political detractors made an urgent bid to get a court interdict at the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou to nullify his appointment.

The applicants said Nenguda was not the rightful appointee as he was not among those on the candidate list selected for interviews. But against all odds, he was nominated and appointed unopposed.

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The council also elected Rudzani Ludere as council chief whip and Frida Tsakani Nkondo as council speaker.

In the Sekhukhune district council, another Ramaphosa supporter, Ramaila, was elected to serve a second term as executive mayor.

Ramaila, who earned the nickname of “Mr Renewal” after emulating Ramaphosa’s renewal slogan, was favoured by many for refusing to invest council funds into the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank.

He became one of the mayors, the ANC national executive committee endorsed for appointment.

Former mayor of Elias Motsoaledi local municipality, Julia Mathebe, and David Kgwediebitse were elected council speaker and council chief whip respectively.