Pretoria - Chairperson of the ANC Peter Mokaba Region John Mpe was elected Polokwane mayor unopposed at Ngoako Ramatlodi sports complex in Seshego on Monday.
The former Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) mayor who replaced Thembi Nkadimeng in September was sworn in as the first citizen of Limpopo’s capital city under tense conditions with EFF and ANC supporters out-singing each other at any given chance.
Nkadimeng was promoted to Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August.
Mpe resigned as district mayor in September after leading it for five years. He was replaced by Mamedupi Teffo.
The ANC garnered 56 seats during the November 1 local government elections while the EFF won 21 seats and the DA 7 seats.
The FF+ won two seats while Cope, ABC (Abantu Batho Congress), MSM (Mahoshi Swaranang Movement) and the ACDP all took one seat each.
The EFF refrained from participating in the election process leaving the DA, FF+ and the other parties to fend for themselves when they contested for the position of speaker, nominating new DA Councillor Franco Marx who was beaten by the ANC's Whelemina Modiba as new speaker.
Modiba received 57 votes as opposed to Marx’s 11.
The fully packed hall was dominated by ANC supporters with a small number of EFF members.
At CDM Mpe oversaw three consecutive unqualified audit opinions and two clean audits before he left.
He is a qualified accountant and has a bachelor’s degree in management and leadership from the University of the Free State.
Pretoria News