Latest news with #Maloka
IOL News
16 hours ago
- IOL News
Sedibeng Mayor Lerato Maloka found unharmed after being abducted
Sedibeng District Municipality mayor Lerato Maloka was found unharmed following her abduction over the weekend. Image: Supplied The abduction of the mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality, Lerato Maloka, has been linked by sources to her media briefing where she announced that she requested the Gauteng provincial government to institute an investigation into corruption in the municipality. Maloka and her driver were hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on Friday and both were found unharmed and reunited with their families on Saturday night, police confirmed. Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the investigations were ongoing and a manhunt for the suspects is underway. Sources claimed a link between the abduction to a media briefing held by Maloka last week, where she announced that has written to the Gauteng MEC for Local Government, Jacob Mamabolo, and requested a full investigation into corruption at the municipality. She wants the investigation to focus on senior municipal officials, who she claims have paid themselves approximately one million rand from the council coffers. She also made claims of irregular appointments even though the municipality does not have money and officials lying to the council about senior manager appointments. Maloka said she has also written to the Public Protector asking for help. She said her efforts to make the municipality follow the law and serve the people properly have been ignored. A criminal complaint was recently laid against Maloka, alleging that she stole the mayoral chain after a break-in at her office. Maloka denied the allegations, saying she was a victim of lies and harassment because she was trying to clean up the municipality. The Sedibeng mayoral chain, valued at R465,000, mysteriously disappeared after the State of the District Address on June 23, 2023, but the case of theft was not opened until November 2023. The allegations against Maloka also included improper use of municipal resources such as taking expensive trips using municipal money, including a costly flight to support an employee at a funeral. The allegations resulted in the mayor's removal from office by a Council Vote of No Confidence in January 2025, but she was re-elected three weeks later. 'It cannot be that the mayor is exposing corruption and announcing her intention to investigate and the next thing she is hijacked and kidnapped. This is very suspicious,' said a source, adding that this could be influenced by those who want to see her out of the office. Several efforts to get a comment from Maloka were unsuccessful. The municipality's spokesperson, Nomvula Khalo, confimed that Maloka had written a letter to Mamabolo, but said he was unaware of the content of the communication. Mamabolo's spokesperson Theo Nkonki said the matter should be addressed with the police, adding the department was not in a position to comment. Sedibeng ANC spokesperson, Velile Mkhontwana, did not respond to messages and calls. Meanwhile, the DA has announced that the council has resolved to write to Mamabolo and request the suspension of Maloka. In a statement released on Thursday, the party said Maloka had given a press interview behind closed doors during council proceedings, which included debate to determined her future in the mayoral chair.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after 'hijacking and kidnapping'
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign.
SowetanLIVE
3 days ago
- SowetanLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after alleged hijacking and kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after alleged hijacking and kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
DA welcomes move to suspend Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Sedibeng has welcomed a council resolution to request the suspension of Sedibeng Executive Mayor Lerato Maloka, pending a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct. According to a statement by DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase, council resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. Maloka is accused of negligence in her duties, with the DA highlighting her alleged role in the wasteful expenditure of over R500,000 on a trip to Germany involving other municipal officials. The statement also references a controversial incident involving the mayoral vehicle, in which sugar was reportedly found in the engine after the mayor was compelled to use the R490,000 car. Dyonase criticised Maloka for giving a press interview behind closed doors while council debated her future. During the media briefing, Maloka reportedly called for a Section 106 investigation into alleged maladministration in her administration and claimed she was the target of a smear campaign. The DA maintains that the issues raised by the mayor occurred under her leadership and cannot be dismissed as political attacks. 'The DA proudly adds its voice to the call – suspend mayor Maloka and conduct a speedy disciplinary investigation,' Dyonase concluded. Maloka, however, has written to MEC Jacob Mamabolo requesting an independent investigation under Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act. In her letter, she alleges that the municipal manager is orchestrating a smear campaign against her and has called for the MEC to probe irregular appointments, inflated salaries, and dubious procurement processes within the municipality. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
