ANC regional treasurer in Sedibeng, Hassan Mako, has been elected as the new mayor of Emfuleni local municipality.
Mako, who was the MMC of finance at Emfuleni, ascended to the new position, taking over the mayoral chain after the embattled former mayor, Sipho Radebe, resigned from the top job.
ANC removed Radebe
Radebe stepped down last month after the intervention of the ANC provincial leadership, where he was advised to quit after a dramatic showdown where he had held on to power despite challenges faced by the municipality where service delivery and projects in the community were affected.
What triggered Radebe to throw in the towel was when the ANC lost the by-elections in Ward 28 in Emfuleni to the DA. The ANC leader in the province stood up and enforced discipline to the point where he was told to resign as a mayor.
Insiders within the ANC in Sedibeng told Sunday World that the writing was on the wall for Radebe to be removed as the mayor due to the direction that the municipality was taking in dealing with challenges faced by communities of the Vaal when it comes to service delivery and execution of projects within the area.
Service delivery failures
“There have been challenges which have made Emfuleni fail in areas of service delivery, project executions and governance, and Sipho failed to provide leadership and intervention on many occasions, which resulted in the municipality having to be blamed for all the failures.
“As you know, there are many challenges within Emfuleni when it comes to service delivery. The ANC in Gauteng had to intervene and save the party from being embarrassed and being dealt a blow at the upcoming elections. Something had to be done with speed to restore hopes of the people of Emfuleni, and this is how Hassan was brought in to change the fortunes of the municipality around,” said an insider.
Mako carries ANC hopes
Another source said that the ANC had high hopes that Mako would bring his youthfulness, charm and strategy to bring back Emfuleni on track and help the ruling party to build the confidence of the people on the way to local elections.
“Hassan is in touch with the people on the ground, and he knows the struggle of the communities where Emfuleni governs as he lives with them in the township. He is one of the brightest youngsters in the ANC who believes in progress. Hassan knows how to navigate the area and also knows how to communicate the message of the municipality to the people. He is not just a politician, but a community leader who had been involved in challenges faced by the people of Emfuleni. For the fact that he was elected mayor, this shows the confidence the ANC has in him,” said our source.
ANC Sedibeng Region congratulated Mako after being elected the new mayor, with regional secretary Jason Mkhwane saying his election comes with a wealth of organisational and governance experience, which he had acquired over many years of dedication in both the ANC and the government.
ANC pledges full support for new mayor
“Cde Mako has served in various leadership positions within the ANC and has previously held the responsibility of MMC for finance and revenue in Emfuleni. The ANC is confident that his leadership will contribute positively towards strengthening institutional stability, improving governance, and accelerating service delivery to the residents of Emfuleni. We are equally confident that under his stewardship, the municipality will deepen its engagement with communities and respond more effectively to the needs and aspirations of the people,’ said Mkhwane.
He said that the ANC in the region will give Mako full support as a mayor through his tenure when he takes on the important responsibility of working for the people of Emfuleni with his dedicated team.
“We call on all councillors, municipal officials, stakeholders and residents to work together in building a functional, responsive and developmental local government that serves the interests of all communities. . We wish comrade Hassan Mko success in carrying out this responsibility and remain committed to advancing the programme of renewal, service delivery and people-centred governance in Emfuleni,” said Mkhwane.
- Hassan Mako, ANC regional treasurer and former MMC of finance, has been elected as the new mayor of Emfuleni local municipality, replacing Sipho Radebe who resigned following ANC provincial intervention.
- Sipho Radebe was forced to step down after the ANC lost the Ward 28 by-election to the DA and due to failures in service delivery, project execution, and governance under his leadership.
- ANC insiders cited prolonged challenges in service delivery and lack of leadership from Radebe as reasons for his removal to prevent further damage ahead of upcoming elections.
- Mako is viewed by the ANC as a youthful, community-connected leader who is expected to restore public confidence and improve governance and service delivery in Emfuleni.
- The ANC in Sedibeng pledged full support to Mako, emphasizing his experience and commitment and calling for unity among councillors, officials, and communities to build a functional and responsive local government.
