Sedibeng Mayor Lerato Maloka found unharmed after being abducted

The abduction of Sedibeng District Municipality mayor, 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 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 she 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 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 on Thursday, the party said Maloka had given a press interview behind closed doors during council proceedings, which included a debate to determine her future in the mayoral chair.

“Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today’s resolution centres around her, and other municipal officials’ misdeeds in wasting over R500 000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the Mayoral vehicle featured as part of proceedings – sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490 000 vehicle. 

"During the abovementioned press briefing, that can only be described as a last-ditch attempt to distance herself from further scrutiny, Mayor Maloka has called for a full Section 106 investigation into maladministration in her administration, while claiming that she is the target of a smear campaign,” read the statement.

Cape Times