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Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila (born 22 March 1961) is a South African politician from Limpopo Province who has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly since June 2024. He was formerly the mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality between 2016 and 2022.

Early life and career

Born on 22 March 1961, Ramaila became politically active during apartheid as a high school student and member of his school's student representative council. After he dropped out of school, he continued his activism in the National Union of Mineworkers while working as a miner in Emalahleni. Later he returned to school to complete his matric, completed a teaching diploma at the Sekhukhune College of Education in Sekukhune, and became a teacher, continuing his union activism in the teaching union.

Career in local government

After the end of apartheid, Ramaila joined local government as a representative of the African National Congress (ANC). He was elected as a local councillor in the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality when it was established in the December 2000 local elections.

On 26 August 2016, following that month's local elections, the ANC's majority caucus elected Ramaila unopposed as executive mayor of the Sekukhune District Municipality. His mayoral term coincided with political and fiscal tumult in the municipality. Near the end of his term, in February 2020, he described widespread corruption in the municipality, telling City Press, "There is a syndicate in this municipality that we must uproot. Last week I told officials that my life is under threat because I’m fighting corruption but, like a soldier, I will die with my boots on."

At the next local elections in November 2021, the ANC retained its majority in Sekhukhune, but Ramaila's presumptive re-election was challenged by a group of his opponents inside the ANC, who challenged his nomination with the party's National Executive Committee and sued to challenge the decision in court. The legal challenge was dismissed in the Limpopo High Court, and shortly afterwards the Sekhukhune council met and re-elected Ramaila as mayor. However, later the same month, Ramaila was ousted from his position as ANC regional chairperson by the speaker in his council, Julia Mathebe. Ramaila subsequently resigned from the mayoral seat and Mathebe was elected to succeed him in February 2022. He served as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Services in Mathebe's government, but her government was shortlived and her successor, Mayor Maleke Mokganyetji, fired Ramaila from the mayoral committee in December 2022.

Legislative career

In May 2024 general election, Ramaila stood as a candidate for election to the national Parliament of South Africa, ranked 176th on the ANC's national party list. He was elected to a seat in the National Assembly, where he serves in the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation and Portfolio Committee on Social Development.

References

1. "Final Candidate Lists for 2024 National and Provincial Elections: National Candidates" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
2. ^ Motseo, Thapelo (1 December 2021). "Spotlight on Sekhukhune district's executive mayor position". Sekhukhune Times. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
3. "Stan Ramaila inaugurated as Sekhukhune District mayor". Lowvelder. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
4. Yende, Sizwe Sama (12 February 2020). "'Mr Ma-Millions' cracks the whip over missing millions in Limpopo". City Press. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
5. "Some ANC members in Sekhukhune District obtain interdict against appointment of new mayor". SABC News. 25 November 2021. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
6. "First council sitting for Sekhukhune District Municipality to take place within 10 days: Manager". SABC News. 26 November 2021. Archived from the original on 13 September 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
7. Tandwa, Lizeka (30 November 2021). "ANC halts mayoral elections in Limpopo". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
8. Molefe, Russel (1 December 2021). "Aggrieved ANC members lose court challenge to the election of Sekhukhune and Vhembe mayors". News24. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
9. "District Council finally elects office bearers". Sekhukhune Times. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
10. "Sekhukhune Mayor working on helping put corrupt officials behind bars". Capricorn FM. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
11. "Julia Mathebe elected chairperson of ANC's Sekhukhune region". SABC News. 17 December 2021. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
12. "Julia Mathebe elected mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality". Capricorn FM. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
13. "New SDM Executive Mayor re-deploys MMCs". Sekhukhune Times. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
14. ^ "Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila". People's Assembly. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

External links

• Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila at Parliament of South Africa
• Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila at People's Assembly

• Living people
• 1961 births
• African National Congress politicians
• Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029
• Politicians from Limpopo