Sello Lehari Explained

Honorific Suffix:MPL
Citizenship:South Africa
Party:African National Congress
Office:Member of the North West Executive Council for Health
Premier:Lazarus Mokgosi
Term Start:21 June 2024
Predecessor:Madoda Sambatha
Office1:Member of the North West Executive Council for Community Safety and Transport Management
Termstart1:28 May 2019
Term End1:14 June 2024
Premier1:
Predecessor1:Mpho Motlhabane
Office2:Member of the North West Executive Council for Education and Sport Development
Termend2:28 May 2019
Termstart2:May 2016
Premier2:
Predecessor2:Wendy Matsemela
Successor2:Wendy Matsemela (for Education)

Jonas Sello Lehari is a South African politician who is currently serving as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health in the North West. He formerly served as MEC for Community Safety and transport Management from May 2019 until June 2024, as MEC for Education and Sports Development from May 2016 to May 2019, and before that as Mayor of Moretele Local Municipality. In August 2022, he was additionally elected Provincial Treasurer of the North West branch of his political party, the African National Congress (ANC).

Life and career

Lehari was born on 22 February and grew up in Moeka, a village near Moretele in present-day North West province.[1] His father was Amos Lehari (died August 2022).[2] By 2015, Lehari was the Mayor of Moretele Local Municipality and the Regional Chairperson of the ANC's branch in Bojanala.[3]

In February 2015, at an ANC elective conference in Mahikeng, he was elected as Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the ANC's North West branch, serving under Supra Mahumapelo. China Dodovu had been expected to contest the position, on an opposing slate of candidates aligned to Mahumapelo's rival Nono Maloyi, but Lehari was ultimately elected unopposed. The Mail & Guardian said that Lehari was viewed as a close political ally of Mahumapelo, and critics accused Lehari of interfering improperly in the ANC's process for selecting election candidates ahead of the 2016 local government elections, an accusation denied by Lehari.[4]

On 8 May 2016, Mahumapelo, in his capacity as Premier of the North West, announced a cabinet reshuffle in which Lehari was appointed MEC for Education and Sport Development.[5] He remained in that position throughout the rest of Mahumapelo's term in office and into the term of Premier Job Mokgoro.[6] In 2017, his house in Moeka was burned down when a protest about access to clean water turned violent.[7] [8]

Lehari's term as ANC Deputy Provincial Chairperson ended prematurely in 2018 when the ANC National Executive Committee disbanded the entire leadership corps of the provincial party.[9] By that time, he was viewed as a likely contender to succeed Mahumapelo as ANC Provincial Chairperson.[10] [11]

In the 2019 general election, Lehari was ranked fifth on the ANC's provincial party list and was elected to a seat in the North West Provincial Legislature.[12] Pursuant to the election, on 28 May 2019, Premier Mokgoro announced his new Executive Council, in which Lehari was moved to the Community Safety and Transport Management portfolio.[13] [14] In August 2022 in Rustenberg, he was elected Provincial Treasurer of the North West ANC, serving under new Provincial Chairperson Nono Maloyi, whose candidacy was endorsed by Mahumapelo.[15] [16] Lehari won in a vote against Lenah Miga, earning 380 votes to Miga's 280.[17]

Former North West Education MEC Sello Lehari’s successor was instructed to apologize for Lehari's conduct after Lehari was found to have falsely accused teacher Elana Barkhuizen of racism.[18]

Sambatha was appointed as the MEC for Health following the 2024 general election.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 22 February 2021 . Happy Birthday MEC Lehari . 2023-01-11 . Department of Community Safety and Transport Management.
  2. Web site: 23 August 2022 . Premier Bushy Maape sends condolences to the bereaved family of Lehari . 2023-01-11 . South African Government.
  3. Web site: 2015-02-14 . Supra Mahumapelo re-elected ANC North West leader . 2022-11-28 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  4. Web site: 2016-06-24 . North West ANC members cry foul over candidate lists . 2023-01-11 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  5. Web site: 9 May 2016 . North West cabinet reshuffle sees four new members . 2023-01-11 . Business Day . en-ZA.
  6. Web site: 6 December 2018 . North West premier fires four MECs and recycles cabinet . 2023-01-11 . Sowetan . en-ZA.
  7. Web site: 31 January 2017 . Man describes horror of seeing brother shot dead as protest turns violent . 2023-01-11 . Sowetan . en-ZA.
  8. Web site: 2017-01-31 . Angry residents torch North West MEC's house, cars . 2023-01-11 . The Citizen . en.
  9. Web site: 15 August 2022 . ANC North West elects Supra Mahumapelo-endorsed top 5 . 2022-11-28 . Sowetan . en-ZA.
  10. Web site: du Plessis . Carien . 2018-02-27 . Ramaphosa's state of the nation is taking shape, but the provinces are in dire need of TLC . 2023-01-11 . Daily Maverick . en.
  11. Web site: 25 February 2018 . Supra's time running out as North West chaos continues . 2023-01-11 . News24 . en-US.
  12. Web site: Jonas Sello Lehari . 2023-01-11 . People's Assembly . en.
  13. Web site: 28 May 2019 . Premier Job Mokgoro on announcement new North West Provincial Executive Council . 2023-01-11 . South African Government.
  14. Web site: Stone . Setumo . 28 May 2019 . Supra allies out as Mokgoro makes sweeping changes in North West . 2023-01-11 . City Press . en-US.
  15. Web site: 2022-08-15 . Some delegates threaten court action over outcomes of 9th ANC North West Conference . 2023-01-11 . SABC News . en-US.
  16. Web site: 15 August 2022 . Maloyi's North West victory a boost for Paul Mashatile . 2023-01-11 . Business Day . en-ZA.
  17. Web site: 15 August 2022 . ANC North West announces its top five following conference . 2023-01-11 . IOL . en.
  18. Web site: 20 January 2023 . North West MEC put Schweizer-Reneke teacher's life in danger, falsely accused her of racism - SAHRC . 2024-03-26 . IOL . en.
  19. Web site: Collen Maine returns as MEC as NW premier names new cabinet . 2024-07-08 . Jacaranda FM.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sello Lehari".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.