Stevens Mokgalapa

Stevens Mokgalapa (born 9 April 1977) is a South African politician who served as the Mayor of Tshwane from 2019 to 2020. A former member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), he served as a Member of the National Assembly from 2009 to 2019. Within the DA's Shadow Cabinet, he served as Shadow Minister of International Relations and Co-operation from 2014 to 2019, as Shadow Minister of Human Settlements from 2012 to 2014, and as Shadow Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation from 2009 to 2012. He is the president of the Africa Liberal Network.

Stevens Mokgalapa
Mayor of Tshwane
In office
12 February 2019 – 26 February 2020
Preceded bySolly Msimanga
Succeeded byRandall Williams
Shadow Minister of International Relations and Co-operation
In office
5 June 2014 – 11 February 2019
Preceded byJustus de Goede
Succeeded byDarren Bergman
Shadow Minister of Human Settlements
In office
1 February 2012 – 5 June 2014
Preceded byButch Steyn
Succeeded byMakashule Gana
Shadow Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation
In office
14 May 2009 – 1 February 2012
Preceded byNot known
Succeeded byBilly Eloff
Member of the National Assembly
In office
6 May 2009 – 11 February 2019
ConstituencyGauteng
Personal details
Born (1977-04-09) 9 April 1977
Winterveld, Pretoria, South Africa
NationalitySouth African
Spouse(s)Pearl
RelationsDemocratic Alliance (Until 2020)
ChildrenRorisang
Alma materUniversity of Pretoria
University of the Western Cape
University of Johannesburg

Prior to being elected to the National Assembly, Mokgalapa was a Tshwane Municipality councillor for a period of nine years.[1]

In February 2019, the Democratic Alliance selected Mokgalapa as the party's preferred mayoral candidate to succeed Solly Msimanga as Mayor of Tshwane. He was elected on 12 February 2019 and became the second Tshwane Mayor from the Democratic Alliance.[2][3] He announced on 2 February 2020 that he would resign at the end of the month.[4]

Family and personal life

Stevens Mokgalapa was born and spent his entire childhood in Winterveld, Pretoria. Mokgalapa attended Motsemogolo Primary and Kgolaganyo Middle School and matriculated from Mabopane High School.

He went on to study at the University of Pretoria where he completed an undergraduate degree in political science and began his honours degree in international relations. He later completed his honours degree at the University of the Western Cape. He also achieved a strategic diplomacy postgraduate certificate from the University of Johannesburg and a certificate in political leadership from St Augustine College.[5]

Mokgolapa is married to Pearl. They have a daughter named Rorisang.[6]

Political career

Mokgalapa joined the Democratic Party in 1999 and its successor, the Democratic Alliance, in 2000. After joining the Democratic Alliance, Mokgalapa held multiple leadership positions in the party. He was first appointed as a Regional Executive Member and was later promoted to the positions of Branch Chairperson and Township Strategy Member. In 2000, he was elected as ward councillor for Ward 58 of the Tshwane Municipality. He became a proportional representation councillor following the 2006 municipal elections.[1]

Within the Democratic Alliance Tshwane caucus, Mokgalapa served as Deputy Caucus Chairperson, Caucus Strategic Member and Inner Regeneration Spokesperson. He was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa in April 2009.[7]

Mokgalapa took office as a Member of the National Assembly on 6 May 2009. The DA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip appointed him as Shadow Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation. In February 2012, the newly-elected DA Parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko announced her Shadow Cabinet and appointed him to the post of Shadow Minister of Human Settlements. After the 2014 elections, he took office as Shadow Minister of International Relations and Co-operation.[8][9]

In 2017, Mokgalapa was elected president of the Africa Liberal Network.[1]

Mayor of Tshwane (2019–2020)

Announcement

In January 2019, incumbent Mayor of Tshwane Solly Msimanga announced his intention to resign as mayor. The Democratic Alliance shortlisted Mokgalapa and three other candidates as possible contenders for the position. In early-February 2019, Mokgalapa was selected by the DA's Federal Executive to be the party's Tshwane mayoral candidate.[10]

Election
Main article: 2019 Tshwane mayoral election

The 2016 municipal election resulted in no party having a majority in the Tshwane City Council. The municipality is governed through a coalition-led government, consisting of the Democratic Alliance and smaller parties. On 12 February 2019, the Economic Freedom Fighters and the opposition African National Congress did not field any mayoral candidates and chose to abstain from the vote, therefore allowing Mokgalapa to be elected unopposed.[11][12][13]

Tenure

He announced the members of his mayoral committee during a media briefing on 21 February 2019. Six councillors, who served in the mayoral committee of Solly Msimanga, held their positions, while Mokgalapa dismissed four others.[14]

Mokgalapa announced on 25 February 2019 that the City of Tshwane would be terminating the controversial GladAfrica contract.[15]

Mokgalapa delivered his maiden State of the Capital Address on 11 April 2019. Before his address, the opposition African National Congress councillors staged a walkout from the council chamber.[16][17]

In November 2019, a controversial audio clip between Mokgalapa and Sheila Senkubuge, member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for roads and transport, was released. In the audio clip, Mokgalapa and Senkubuge discussed various politicians. Mokgalapa said that he planned on firing a colleague.[18] In response to the release of the recording, he laid charges of extortion and blackmail at the Brooklyn police station.[19] The DA announced that it would be investigating the matter and placed Mokgalapa on leave.[20] Abel Tau was appointed the acting mayor.[21][22] Senkubuge later resigned as an MMC and PR councillor.[23]

He was voted out as mayor on 5 December 2019, though the Gauteng High Court later set aside all the decisions made at the sitting.[24][25]

Facing mounting pressure from the DA and its coalition partner, the Freedom Front Plus, to step down as mayor, Mokgalapa announced on 2 February 2020 that he would resign as Mayor of Tshwane before the next council meeting at the end of the month.[26][27][28][29] Mokgalapa's last day as mayor was on 26 February 2020.[30] On 30 October 2020, Mokgalapa resigned from the DA.[31]

References
  1. Mailovich, Claudi (2 May 2019). "PROFILE: Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa unapologetically liberal". BusinessDay. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. Madia, Tshidi. DA names Tshwane mayoral candidate to succeed Solly Msimanga, News24, 3 February 2019. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  3. DA’s Stevens Mokgalapa is Tshwane’s new mayor. Retrieved on 12 February 2019.
  4. Kgosana, Rorisang (2 February 2020). "Mokgalapa to resign as Tshwane mayor". The Citizen. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  5. Who is Tshwane's new mayor Stevens Mokgalapa? - EWN. Retrieved on 12 February 2019.
  6. Stevens Mokgalapa. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  7. DA to reveal Stevens Mokgalapa as new Tshwane mayor, TimesLIVE, 2 February 2019. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  8. The DA's new shadow cabinet - Lindiwe Mazibuko. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  9. DA shadow cabinet - full list of names. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  10. Stevens Mokgalapa named DA's Tshwane mayoral candidate, IOL, Gauteng, 3 February 2019. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  11. DA announces Stevens Mokgalapa as preferred Tshwane mayoral candidate. Retrieved on 3 February 2019.
  12. Stevens Mokgalapa elected as new City of Tshwane mayor, IOL. Retrieved on 12 February 2019.
  13. Stevens Mokgalapa elected as new Tshwane mayor - EWN,. Retrieved on 12 February 2019.
  14. Tshwane Mayor #StevensMokgalapa announces mayoral committee, IOL. Retrieved on 22 February 2019.
  15. Mokgalapa announces controversial GladAfrica contract will be terminated. Retrieved on 27 February 2019.
  16. Mokgalapa: No service delivery, no performance bonuses. Retrieved on 11 April 2019.
  17. ANC councillors walk out of the Tshwane mayor's first state of the city address. Retrieved on 11 April 2019.
  18. Bhengu, Cebelihle (26 November 2019). "Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and that leaked audio recording: What we know". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  19. Mahope, Reitumetse (25 November 2019). "Listen: Tshwane mayor lays charges over alleged 'sex recording' with MMC". RekordEast. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  20. "DA to investigate alleged Tshwane mayor sex clip". IOL. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  21. "DA appoints Abel Tau acting mayor of Tshwane". eNCA. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  22. Moatshe, Rapula (28 November 2019). "WATCH: Tshwane mayor Mokgalapa's 'special leave' cancelled". IOL. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  23. "Tshwane MMC Sheila Senkubuge resigns". Politicsweb. 1 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  24. Manyathela, Clement (5 December 2019). "DA's Stevens Mokgalapa voted out as Tshwane mayor". EWN. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  25. Chabalala, Jeanette (6 December 2019). "High court suspends Tshwane council's decision to remove mayor, speaker pending urgent application". News24. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  26. Madia, Tshidi; Mitchley, Alex (1 February 2020). "Mokgalapa backed into corner as DA prepares to act - step down as Tshwane mayor or be forced out". News24. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  27. Morais, Sheldon (2 February 2020). "JUST IN l Embattled Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa announces resignation". News24. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  28. "Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa to resign at end of February". EWN. Johannesburg. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  29. Hunter, Qaanitah (2 February 2020). "Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa quits ahead of disciplinary hearing". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  30. Moatshe, Rapula (19 February 2020). "Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa bows out". IOL. Retrieved 26 February 2020. His last day in office is likely to be February 26, a day before an ordinary council sitting.
  31. "Stevens Mokgalapa resigns from DA". The Citizen. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
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