Ousted Lerato Maloka reinstated as Sedibeng Mayor

SEDIBENG - Lerato Maloka has been reinstated as the Executive Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality, just weeks after being removed through a motion of no confidence. Maloka secured 25 votes in yesterday’s council meeting, narrowly defeating the DA’s candidate, who received 24 votes. All 49 councillors participated in the vote. Her return, backed by the ANC, has sparked backlash from opposition parties, including the DA and EFF, who argue that her reinstatement ignores past allegations of financial mismanagement. Critics claim this is a sign of ongoing political instability, while Maloka has vowed to focus on service delivery and restoring public trust. The reinstatement follows weeks of council disruptions, including chaotic scenes involving teargas, as the ANC sought to regain control. In the initial no-confidence vote on January 29, 26 councillors voted for Maloka’s removal, while 21 opposed it, and two abstained.

Meanwhile, The EFF in Gauteng says it strongly rejects the re-election of ANC councillor, Lerato Maloka, as the Sedibeng Municipality mayor. She was removed as mayor through a motion of no confidence in January over the mismanagement of municipal affairs. The EFF’s, Dumisani Baleni, says instead of prioritising service delivery, the ANC has used public office to entrench political patronage, rewarding factional loyalists at the expense of the community’s well-being.