By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – The Speaker of the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality has appointed a sanctions committee after council found that Executive Mayor Malekula Melato misled council about the resignation of an MMC.
At a special sitting at the Bluegumbosch Multipurpose Hall on 27 February, an investigative committee confirmed that the mayor falsely reported in August that Mary Crokette had resigned as a Member of the Mayoral Committee.
Presenting the findings, committee chair Alison Oates said the mayor later attempted to pressure Crokette to resign, but failed. “Councillor Crokette remains an MMC and was entitled to her salary,” Oates told council.
The committee rejected the mayor’s attempt to shift blame to the municipal manager, stressing that MMC appointments and removals fall under the executive mayor’s authority.
Committee member Chicco Mkwanazi said council had been deliberately misled and called for consequences. Other councillors said the incident was not isolated, citing previous MMC removals announced without due process.
Calls for accountability escalated, with some coalition members urging the mayor to resign. Council also proposed that funds paid during the period council believed Crokette had resigned—including payments linked to her personal assistant—be recovered.
After a coalition caucus, Chief Whip Moeketsi Lebesa confirmed: “The mayor is guilty of misleading council. While council cannot remove her, sanctions are warranted.”
Speaker Mandlenkosi Dlamini then announced the formation of a sanctions committee to determine appropriate penalties. The committee, chaired by Mandla Holley, will report back at the next council sitting.
