ANCcelebrates mayoral victory in Mogale City
29 June 2017
Johannesburg – The ANC in the West Rand has expressed joy after Speaker Patrick Naga Lipudi was elected mayor of the Mogale City Local Municipality during a council session on Wednesday.
ANC deputy chair Mzi Khumalo described Lipudi as a leader with a long and admirable history of service to the people.
Khumalo said Lipudi would restore Mogale City to normality and accelerate the delivery of basic services.
Lipudi received 39 votes and the DA's Michael Holenstein, 36. Two votes were spoilt.
Lipudi is the third mayor to be elected since August.
The party also congratulated Noluthando Mangole on her election as speaker.
"We are confident that Mangole, who has immense local government experience spanning many years, including serving as speaker, will ensure an activist, people-centred model of council in Mogale City."
Holenstein, the previous mayor, was ousted following a motion of no confidence earlier in June.
DA councillors underwent lie detector tests to determine who had voted with the ANC to depose him.
DA councillor Brandon May did not go through with the test, and instead sent his letter of resignation to Lipudi, the party said at the time.
A scheduled council meeting to elect a new mayor was cancelled last week after the DA, EFF and IFP were a no-show.
The speaker was forced to close council, as there was no quorum.
