Speaker

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THE SPEAKER OF COUNCIL 

CLLR KHOLOFELO LEHONG

 

Preceding over device Council, representative of different constituencies comes naturally for the new Speaker, Cllr Kholofelo Lehong.

Cllr Lehong was elected the new Speaker of Capricorn District Municipality during a special council meeting that was held on 18 October 2024.

Born and bred at Ga-Kobe Village in Blouberg, Cllr Lehong has a lot of experience in local government. Before joining CDM, She held various positions of office within the Blouberg Municipality – Administration Officer in the Blouberg Municipality (Since May 2018), Customer Care clerk in the Blouberg Municipality (October 2011 July 2013), Departmental Secretary in the CFOs Office (August 2013 – April 2018).

She holds a Senior Certificate from Manoe Secondary School, and her post-matric qualifications include a Certificate in Municipal Finance Management and a National Diploma in Public Finance Management and Administration, all from the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA).

She served in the following political roles – Chairperson of Youth Forum (2007-2011), ANCYL Blouberg Sub-Region additional member (2008-2010), ANCYL Blouberg Sub-Region deputy Secretary (2010-2013), ANC Blouberg Sub-TT additional member (2013-2015), ANC Blouberg Sub-Region Treasure (2015-2022), SANCO Provincial Executive Committee member (2019-2023), ANC Peter Mokaba Region additional member (2021-2023), Deputy Chairperson of Peter Mokaba Region (2023 to date).

She describes herself as a polite person who is eager to learn new things in an organization and able to work under pressure of multiple deadlines. She is also a great team player with good communication skills.  She embodies Batho Pele principles, public speaking, strategic decision-making, budget and finance, planning and organizing, and stakeholder liaison. These qualities have seen her achieve numerous accolades.

Functions of speakers  in terms of Chapter 3 of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act 1998

The speaker of a municipal council:

• presides at meetings ‘of the council
• performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated to the speaker in terms of section 32 must ensure that the council meets at least quarterly
• must maintain order during meetings
• must ensure compliance in the council and council committees with the Code of Conduct set out in Schedule 5: and
• must ensure that council meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules and orders of the council.

Election of Speakers of municipal councils (Chapter 3 of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act 1998)

• Each municipal council must have a chairperson who will be called the speaker.
• At its first sitting after its election. or when necessary to fill a vacancy. a municipal council must elect its speaker from among the councillors.
• The municipal manager of the municipality or. if the municipal manager is not available. a person designated by the MEC for local government in the province, presides over the election of a speaker.
• The procedure set out in Schedule 3 applies to the election of a speaker.
• A councillor may not hold office as speaker and mayor or executive mayor at the same time. but in a municipality of a type mentioned in section 9(e) or (f) or 10(c) the speaker must be called the mayor.

 

Term of office of speakers

• The speaker of a municipal council is elected for a term ending, subject to section 39, when the next council is declared elected.

Vacation of office

The speaker of a municipal council vacates office during a term if that person:

• resigns as speaker:
• is removed from office: or
• ceases to be a councillor.