After resisting being removed from her position by the ANC, Masechaba Lakaje-Mosia, the former mayor of Maluti-A-Phofung, was finally sent packing by her party. She remains the party’s member, but is uncertain about her next job.
Lakaje-Mosia, as the mayor, struggled to string sentences in English while delivering the state of the municipality address in 2021/2022. The party axed her after she had refused to vacate her position as instructed by the party’s top brass last month.
Last week, the ANC appointed Malekula Melato as the new mayor of the cash-strapped municipality. Melato is the regional secretary at the Thabo Mofutsanyana region. She was appointed after a lengthy struggle to kick out the defiant Lakaje-Mosia.
Lakaje-Mosia had refused to resign, stating reasons
Sunday World reported last month that the axed mayor had told the ANC bosses that she was not going to resign. The delegation included former MEC of corporate governance and traditional affairs Ketso “Toto” Makume and Jeff Mohapi, the regional secretary. This was despite being told that the party had reviewed her position and gave her marching orders.
At the time she was asked to resign, Lakaje-Mosia threw a fit and told the ANC leaders that she was not going to resign. She said she had not signed the appointment letter when she was appointed acting mayor.
Insiders within the ANC in the Qwaqwa, Phuthadichaba region confirmed the situation. They stated that gatvol ANC leaders in the Free State confronted her, telling her that her behaviour was unbecoming. And that she needed her to leave the office in a respectful manner, but she refused.
Relented after being given ultimatum
“Masechaba was told nicely time and again to vacate the office, but she flatly refused She cited the same thing: that she was never appointed to the position. However, she was told it’s either she gets expelled from the party or toe the line. After hearing that she might be expelled, she realised that she was going to see herself outside the ANC. [Since the prospect] would be the end for her, …she finally resigned,” said our mole.
Another insider claimed that the axed mayor demanded to know where she will be deployed. She demanded to know, since her cushy job was taken from her. But she was told to take a chill pill.
Uncertain where she will be deployed
“Before she vacated the office, Magogo wanted to know where she was going to be deployed. She told the ANC leaders that she had a family to feed, but she was told to relax. Lakaje-Mosia was just a liability in the municipality. The only thing she knew was to go pose for pictures when the transformer had exploded,” said a source.
Lakaje-Mosia did not respond to our calls, including questions we have sent to her.
ANC Thabo Mofutsanyana regional secretary Jeff Mohapi also did not respond to our questions.
