DA vows to interdict ANC's attempt to appoint Tshwane City Manager

8 July 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has learnt that the Acting City Manager who was appointed by Gauteng COGTA MEC Lebogang Maile in his unlawful takeover in Tshwane has since resigned from his post.

In a recent press release ANC Head Administrator Mpho Nawa indicated that Mmaseabata Mutlaneng has been appointed as Acting City Manager.

The same press release says the appointment of a substantive City Manager is at an “advanced stage”.

In noting this development, the DA is adamant that it will interdict any attempt to appoint a City Manager, to prevent the ANC from imposing one of their cadres on the City of Tshwane.

Further to this, as the unlawfully imposed ANC administrators have significantly exceeded the 90 days allowed to them in office by the court ruling, any decisions that they are making now are deeply questionable, and their continued presence in the City of Tshwane is unconstitutional.

It is clear that Maile is desperately playing for time, as the state attorney has missed the deadline agreed upon for when court papers must be ready for the appeal on the Section 18(3) judgement.

It appears that Maile is hoping he can push through the appointment of a permanent City manager before the courts kick him and his ANC administrators out of Tshwane.

But any such attempt will be stopped in its tracks by the DA’s legal team. The DA will not allow unelected and unlawfully imposed ANC administrators the chance to sabotage the running of the city any further than they have already done.

The DA’s legal team has already written to the state attorney requesting an update on the filing of their heads of argument for their appeal.

The net is closing on Maile, and he has no options left.

Increasingly it is emerging that a large majority of ANC members in Tshwane and in the province are against him, as they know he will likely lose the current court cases.

His failed coup in Tshwane could well cost him his political career.

Issued by Randall Williams,DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate, 8 July 2020