The African National Congress' (ANC) Tumisang Pilane, has been elected as the new mayor of Thabazimbi municipality.
The Limpopo municipality has been marred with corruption and a lack of service delivery.
The ANC took over the municipality after eight years following the recent by-elections.
Pilane was elected as the mayor, during a council meeting on December 12, while Joshua Sebata was elected as speaker and Mapula Ndiweni as the chief whip.
All the ANC members were elected uncontested.
The by-elections last week, resulted in a hung council with 23 seats.
The ANC won 10 seats, while Democratic Alliance (DA) secured four, Economic Freedom Fighters three, while Freedom Front Plus and Labour Party each won two.
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and Thabazimbi Residents Association scooped one seat each.
The troubled and struggling municipality was placed under administration in September this year, after years of instability, poor service delivery, and corruption since the 2021 elections.
The ANC lost the municipality after the 2016 local government elections and struggled to regain control in 2021.
Speaking with IOL News, ANC’s Waterburg spokesperson, Seraka Mabeka described Pilane as a force to be reckoned with in local governance, citing his expertise.
Seraka said Pilane’s as head of the government sub committee of the ANC branch executive committee and as well as member of a ward committee prior to his employment in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality.
“Pilane possesses practical experience of the local government and community development in general,” Seraka said.
”Thabazimbi residents can expect a more hands-on approach to service delivery from Pilane,” he told IOL News.
According to him during Pilane’s candidature, he always emphasised the need for all parties to collaborate to address service delivery challenges in Thabazimbi.
“He was very instrumental in demanding a complete transformation of not only the municipal council but also an accountable workforce,” Seraka said.
In his address as the new mayor, Philane acknowledged the challenges ahead of him, especially the provision of service delivery.
He described the state of service delivery at the municipality as being in “Intensive Care Under” (ICU), and promised to work hard to improve services.
“I will do everything in my power to ensure effective service delivery to the residents of Thabazimbi,” Pilane said.
He expressed gratitude to all the parties involved in the coalition government and looked forward to working with them to improve service delivery in the municipality.
IOL Politics