Formerly active in the anti-apartheid movement, Tsotetsi began her legislative career as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 1999 to 2006.
[3] She was sworn in to the office but soon encountered friction with party leaders in the region: in mid-2007, after Tsotetsi fired three members of her mayoral committee, the ANC intervened and forced her to reinstate them.
[4] In the aftermath, the Mail & Guardian reported that she called the police after ANC regional chairperson Simon Mofokeng and another individual visited her at her home in order, in her account, to intimidate her.
[4] In May 2008, the ANC instructed Tsotetsi to resign as mayor or face a motion of no confidence from her own party, ostensibly for poor performance.
[4] At least two-thirds of the 43 local ANC branches in the area passed resolutions disagreeing with the decision to remove Tsotetsi, and fist-fights broke out at some meetings.
[5] On 7 October 2008, Tsotetsi was sworn in to an ANC seat in the Gauteng caucus of the National Council of Provinces, the upper house of the South African Parliament.