THE Khorixas deputy mayor, Trypohasa Moloto (29), has been elected as mayor of the town, while the former mayor, Andries !Aebeb, will be her deputy.

The election of the council’s office bearers was witnessed by about 50 residents yesterday.

Moloto was nominated as mayor by Erwin Howoseb (UDF) while !Aebeb seconded the nomination.

Moloto is the second female mayor of Khorixas. In 2005, Martha Claassen was ousted only three days into her one-year term for allegedly collaborating with Swapo to get the mayoral chain.

In her acceptance speech Moloto warned the public against running to the media without first consulting her, “as the media won’t solve your problems”.

“As the ears of the deaf, eyes for the blind, voice for the voiceless … I promise to represent my people at any platform,” Moloto said.

The new mayor requested the town’s chief executive officer, Nicodemus #Gaeseb, to arrange appointments at various ministries, development agencies and the president’s office where the development needs of Khorixas can be raised.

Khorixas Constituency councillor Sebastian !Gobs called on the elected councillors to display good team spirit when it comes to council activities, saying: “If Khorixas council fails you, all seven councillors fail us”.

“We all know where Khorixas is standing because of petty politics. If everybody could join hands – together we can bring Khorixas to a higher level,” !Gobs said.

Erwin Howoseb was re-elected as chairperson of the management committee, while another UDF councillor, Angela Sabatha, was elected as his deputy.

Swapo councillor Elray Essau was elected as a member of the management committee and Berlinda Xoagus and Elias Xoagub of Swapo remain ordinary councillors. The UDF has four seats out of seven on the Khorixas council.