Nyakallo Tefu
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has announced that the City of Tshwane will be placed under administration.
Makhura said the situation was getting out of control and the city cannot be left to resolve the issues on its own, hence the intervention by the provincial government.
“The decision was made for a number of reasons, which include the city’s failure to elect ward committees, the irregular appointment of senior managers and fruitless, unauthorized and wasteful expenditure flagged by the auditor-general”, said Makhura.
The City of Tshwane’s council has not been operational in the past few months, with both the ANC and EFF attempting to remove the DA from office through a motion of no confidence.
According to Section 139 of the South African Constitution, provincial intervention is allowed in local government when that municipality fails to fulfil its executive obligations in terms of the constitution, or legislation.
The city’s former mayor Stevens Mokgalapa recently came under fire after a recording of him and former roads and transport MMC Sheila Senkubuge, allegedly in an intimate act, went viral on social media.
Mokgalapa then tendered his resignation.
The council failed to appoint a new mayor last week, which placed the city at risk as it was unable to pass its adjustment budget by the end of February 2020.
A new council will be elected will be elected within 90 days.
An administrator will also be appointed to run the metro.
DA’s interim leader John Steenhuizen said the announcement made by Makhura and COGTA MEC Lebogang Maile was illegal.
“This decision is not only ill-founded in law but there is no substance to the allegations that he is making,” said Steenhuizen.
Steenhuizen said this was an assault on democracy and an unwarranted intrusion by one sphere of government controlled by the African National Congress.
“This is another form of state capture, by extending the hands of the ANC provincial government into a municipality which they do not control”, says Steenhuizen.
The party said it plans to take legal action against the decision to place City of Tshwane under administration.
