Immediately following his election as mayor of Ditsobotla municipality in the North West, the mayor resigned.
Elizabeth Lethoko’s resignation was fully supported by the Patriotic Alliance in a statement.
She wrote, in her letter to the ANC’s Fikile Jakene, “As you well know, following the conclusion of all items on the council agenda, a surprise matter was tabled – the appointment of the administrator as municipal manager.”
The ANC – your party – failed to bring up this important issue with me or Gayton McKenzie, the PA’s president, who was present throughout the day at the Ditsobotla council.”
It was impossible for her to be complicit in such behavior, nor could she be held accountable for it.
As a result, I must agree with the EFF that any additional items should have been added through an addendum. This was done in an extremely duplicitous manner and clearly intended to sidestep proper council procedures. By conducting our appointments in such an irregular manner, the public protector will find against this administration.
My party, the PA, will not be associated with underhanded tactics.”
Lethoko added that the current state of the municipality was “a patent disgrace” with bucket toilets everywhere, old women having to carry water on their heads and potholes like “lunar craters”.
“There were indeed issues in the municipality during my previous tenure, but the rate of decline and despair that ensued in subsequent years broke my heart.
“I was looking forward to the opportunity to restore our municipality as a going concern, instead of just being concerned at the direction it is going.” she wrote.