Embattled DA politician Sheila Senkubuge resigns from Tshwane council
Transport MMC for Tshwane Metro Municipality and PR councillor Sheila Senkubuge has resigned, the party confirmed to News24 on Saturday morning.
"I can confirm that we have received her resignation letter," provincial leader John Moody said.
According to Moody, a private citizen had also laid charges against Senkubuge, questioning whether she was eligible to hold a council seat due to her initially holding permanent residency before becoming a naturalised citizen.
When asked if her resignation was linked to an alleged leaked sex recording scandal, Moody said: "It is up to her at the end of the day, she needs to face whatever action she needs to face."
Senkubuge has been embroiled in a scandal at the municipality after a recording allegedly revealed a relationship between herself and Tshwane Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa, who took special leave on Thursday.
In her resignation letter, which News24 has a copy of, Senkubuge said that despite her work successes, there were efforts to personally drag her name.
"In light of recent events, and despite the many successes, it has become clear that attempts to vilify me are taking focus away from the purpose of my role in office. This will in turn inevitably affect service delivery to our residents."
Senkubuge added that all she had done was "at the behest of the people".
"Therefore, as much as it is with regret that I tender my resignation with immediate effect, I do so in order to not betray the spirit, the struggle and the sacrifice that our forebears made and the charge they gave us, which is to always put our people first, as articulated in the Batho Pele principles."
She said residents had to continue getting "the best level of commitment and services from us, as their leaders".
"I believe focus should always be on one thing and that is improving the quality of life of our people of Tshwane. I remain forever humbled and honoured to have been given the opportunity to serve."
Update:
Senkubuge was a citizen at time of Tshwane appointment, according to voters' roll - IEC
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed that former MMC of Roads and Transport in the City of Tshwane, Sheila Senkubuge was a verified citizen at the time of her appointment, according to the voters' roll.
"The Electoral Commission confirms that Ms Senkubuge was verified as a citizen and thus placed on the voter's roll. It is on this basis that she was able to contest as a candidate in the 2016 general elections of municipal councils," the Electoral body said in a statement on Sunday.
This comes after after a private citizen laid charges against Senkubuge questioning whether she was eligible to hold a council seat, the DA's John Moody confirmed on Saturday.
The citizen claimed that Senkubuge initially held permanent residency at the time of her appointment, before she became a naturalised citizen.
In response, her party the DA said the IEC must explain their processes and the law must take its course in Senkubuge's case, News24 reported.
The IEC clarified that the Department of Home Affairs is the custodian of the country's citizenship while the electoral body is responsible for compiling and maintaining the voters' roll.
"In compiling and maintaining the voters' roll, the Electoral Commission verifies the details of applicants against the National Population Register (NPR). Only holders of identity numbers that are accorded citizenship status on the NPR are entered into the voters roll.
"This verification process is supplemented by monthly updates from the NPR in order to account for persons who are deceased, those who have recently attained citizenship and those who have either renounced or lost it," the IEC explained.
The embattled Democratic Alliance (DA) politician recently made headlines following audio that was leaked of an alleged 'sex scandal' involving her and Tshwane Mayor, Stevens Mokgalapa.
She has since resigned from her appointment citing that that despite her work successes, there were efforts to personally vilify her and drag her name, News24 reported.
"In light of recent events, and despite the many successes, it has become clear that attempts to vilify me are taking focus away from the purpose of my role in office. This will in turn inevitably affect service delivery to our residents," the resignation letter reads.
Mokgalapa has since been placed on special leave following the leaked recording scandal.
