100 Days. That is all the newly elected executive mayor of Emalahleni, Cllr Linah Malatjie is asking as she got out of the starting blocks last week.
She needs 100 days to make a difference in the municipality that is balancing on the edge of total collapse.
Former Executive Mayor of Emalahleni, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali welcomes the newly elected Executive Mayor Cllr Linah Malatjie.
Cllr Malatjie’s election as executive mayor was met by song and dance on Thursday, April 5 during a special council meeting.
She is no stranger to Emalahleni and fondly referred to as Mam-Linah.
This former teacher held the reins as executive mayor in 2006 to 2008. She was sacked when she took legal action against the ANC. She became a casualty of the party’s resolution that members who challenge it in court be dismissed.
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Her battle with the party she loves dearly started when she suspended her municipal manager, Ananias Langa, for failing to reverse an appointment of an irregular tender.
She was called for a disciplinary hearing after voting with the opposition party, Democratic Alliance, in a motion that was raised by the ANC. When she was suspended she turned to the court.
“Instead, on attending the disciplinary hearing, she challenged the ANC through a court interdict, where she also mentioned that the ANC was divided and had factions in the province,” said Paul Mbenyane, the former ANC spokesperson in Mpumalanga.
Cllr Salome Sithole stepped into her shoes as captain of the ship.
Cllr Linah Malatjie.
In 2016 Mam-Linah, as she is fondly known as, was elected as Nkangala District Mayor. This is the position she held up to the appointment in Emalahleni. Back in the driving seat she prioritised key challenges that the city of coal is facing, amongst them the Eskom saga. Emalahleni Local Municipality owes Eksom R1.7 billion.
