By Libuseng Nyaka
QWAQWA – Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality has unveiled the director of public services Soso Sepheka as its acting municipal manager.
The announcement comes after last Friday February 17, 2023’s council sitting which resolved to re-advertise the position of municipal manager despite having three highly qualified candidates who had applied for the job.
The municipal manager position became vacant after former municipal manager Tseko Futhuli Mothamaha’s contract expired on October 31,2022.
Mothamaha, who holds a PhD and was former director of the same municipality, is among those who have applied for the post. But, before his contract expired Mothamaha, was arrested on charges of fraud and corruption for allegedly awarding a tender worth R58 million to Kill Crime security company.
He is out on bail of R500 000, with a condition barring him from entering Maluti-a-Phofung premises while the case is still on. The other candidates gunning for same position are Kadimo Masekoane , who was coordinator under administrator Blake Mosley Lefatola when the municipality was put under administration after provincial government invoked section 139 (1) (b) on February 2018.
The third candidate, Sam Makhubu, has also acted in the same position.
According to Maluti-A-Phofung spokesperson Thabo Kessah, Executive Mayor Gilbert Mokotso, welcomed Sepheka as the newly-appointed Acting Municipal Manager.
“Both the Executive Mayor and Acting Municipal Manager acknowledged the task ahead and expressed optimism in steering the municipality to greater heights,” said Kessah in a media statement.
Sepheka, who is the Director of Community Services, will be acting for a period not longer than three months, as resolved by the Special Council meeting on Friday 17 March 2023. The process of recruiting a permanent Municipal Manager will start on Wednesday March 22 ,2023.
