Coalition moves to act against Tshwane Speaker for placing coalition at risk

23 February 2023                        

The multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane has resolved this morning to act decisively against the Speaker, who is a member of COPE, for his refusal to call an urgent Council meeting to elect a new Mayor despite a majority of Councillors having signed a petition calling for a meeting.

COPE Councillor Makwarela has been a member of the multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane since the inception of this coalition government. Makwarela appears to have aligned with the ANC and EFF in an effort to get elected as the Mayor of the municipality.

The issue at hand is the timing of the election of a new Mayor in the City of Tshwane as well as the passing of the adjustment budget. The Speaker has scheduled the meeting to elect the new Mayor on 28 February 2023 which will prevent the adjustment budget being passed by the legislated deadline of the same day. This leaves the door open to the Provincial Government placing the City of Tshwane under administration, as the Premier of Gauteng has already indicated his intention to do so.

This multi-party coalition resolved this morning to undertake the following steps:

That a letter be sent to the Municipal Manager, in accordance with Sec 29 of the Municipal Structures Act, to call a Council Meeting given that the Speaker has refused to comply with a petition of a majority of Councillors for a meeting to be called.

A motion of no confidence will be submitted against the Speaker of Tshwane for his deliberate actions to place the multi-party coalition at risk and for his disregard of the law in his refusal to call the requisite Council Meeting.

That political parties in the coalition be ready to approach the courts to compel the calling of a Council Meeting if this action proves necessary.

All political parties in the coalition have agreed to this course of action and to act together to defend this multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane.

This governing multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane will fight any effort to return the ANC and EFF through the backdoor of the municipality. All parties remain committed to fight for the residents of Tshwane and against the greed and personal ambition of yet another COPE Speaker.

Issued by Cornè Mulder on behalf the Multi-party Coalition, 23 February 2023