DA to act against illegal notice to convene Tshwane Council meeting

9 January 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has obtained legal advice following a move by the African National Congress (ANC) to issue a notice to convene a special Council meeting on Wednesday, 8 January 2020 to consider motions against the DA-led City of Tshwane Executive Mayor, Stevens Mokgalapa, Speaker, Katlego Mathebe, Acting Speaker, Zweli Khumalo and Chair of Chairs, Gert Pretorius. The legal advice recommends actions that will be taken in this regard.

In a recent letter to the Speaker, the ANC allegedly forged signatures of their own caucus members to convene such a meeting, which amounts to nothing but a fraudulent act and is currently under investigation.

The DA has it on good authority that once the ANC realised their alleged forgery was discovered, they submitted a new petition to the Office of the Speaker as well as the Acting City Manager at 13:49 yesterday to convene a meeting at 17:00.

The rules and orders of Council clearly state that a meeting should be called within reasonable time, and this has not been afforded. The Speaker has therefore not granted permission for such meeting to be held.

The ANC then again proceeded to call on the Acting City Manager to preside over the meeting that was then apparently set to be held at 19.00 last night.

We note the continuous attempt by the ANC to again stage a coup to regain power at all cost, and view this as a direct attack on the democracy of our country and an attack against the residents of Tshwane. This is unlawful, as the position of the Speaker is not vacant and therefore the Acting City Manager is not legally competent to act.

DA Councillor, Katlego Mathebe currently occupies the position of Speaker, and she alone has the right to call and convene a meeting of council in the city of Tshwane. The ANC is trying to flex its political muscle by abusing the prescripts of the law.

The DA has instructed its lawyers to write to the Acting City Manager to inform him of this unlawful conduct and its aim to take legal action in this regard.

Furthermore, the DA will continue to call on the Speaker to finalise the forensic investigation as a matter of urgency in order for action to be taken against those that have breached the code of conduct for councillors.

The DA will continue to put the residents of Tshwane first by ensuring the rule of law is upheld and that any unlawful act does not go unpunished.

Issued by Mpho Mehlape-Zimu,DA Deputy Chief Whip - City of Tshwane, 9 January 2020