By Tsitsi Matope
MASERU — Maseru City Council operations are in limbo after Maseru Mayoress Mofonase Hoohlo-Sakoane foiled a bid by councillors to pass a no-confidence vote in her.
This has disorganised council and crippled various developmental projects.
Councillors in February this year made a notification of their intention to move a no-confidence motion in the mayoress in their next meeting, which was due in three days.
However, the matter spilled into the courts after Sakoane sought a court interdict.
Council spokesperson Lintle Moerane yesterday said the order instructed the council to stop discussing Mayoress Sakoane.
“Although the pending case is seriously affecting operations, we cannot do anything apart from waiting for the court’s decision,” Moerane said.
She said the council has no choice but to stop many developmental projects it has been running with various communities and other sectors.
“We are only working on capital projects such as construction of roads. As for the other projects, we have to go through the councillors, which we are unable to do now.
“The situation at the moment is not a healthy one because it is affecting the normal functioning of the council,” Moerane said.
She said because the councillors were not meeting in the order expected to discuss critical issues such as the reviewing of financial reports, currently the status of council finances was not clear.
Despite the impasse, she said the mayoress was still attending meetings called by the Town Clerk, Mantai Phaila.
“She is also attending to some ceremonial duties but for the past three months, the councillors have been electing the Deputy Mayor Councillor Hlathe Majara to attend to other ceremonial duties, which also include those that require international travel.”
However, she said the Mayoress is expected to attend the Limkokwing University graduation to be held today.
Councillor Sakoane yesterday declined to comment on council operations saying the matter was before the courts.
“The matter is still before the courts and I cannot discuss it any further,” she said.
However, in their report, the majority of the councillors accused the mayor of misconduct.
Councillor Sakoane’s term of office expires in December.
