Riyaz Patel
A day after the EFF and ANC successfully ousted Tshwane’s DA mayor Stevens Mokgalapa in a no confidence motion, the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance announced the provincial government intends placing the municipality under administration.
Lebogang Maile said the city was marred by administrative and service delivery challenges which prompted the intervention, EWN reported.
On Thursday night, the Democratic Alliance’s Stevens Mokgalapa was removed as mayor through a motion of no confidence brought by the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
What happens when a city goes into administration?
Going into administration happens when a local municipality “can’t fulfil their obligations” to serve the people.
Under Section 139 of South Africa’s constitution, the provincial authority can takeover from a municipality.
All executive positions in the chamber will be rendered neutralised while an administrator is put in charge.
Whoever is chosen as the administrator will be appointed to manage and oversee the day-to-day running of the municipality.
Essentially, when a city government hasn’t done its job, provincial structures must do it for them.
The MEC said the provincial government was working to bring municipal stability in the cities of Tshwane and Johannesburg.
“In respect of Tshwane, the city’s municipal government was formed on the basis of coalition governments and there have been service delivery challenges at the metro,” he said.
Earlier this week, the ANC’s Geoff Makhubo took over the mayoral chains in the country’s economic hub, Johannesburg.
