TSHWANE CITY MANAGER RECEIVES AND ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF CLLR MURUNWA MAKWARELA AS EXCECUTIVE MAYOR

10 March 2023

Tshwane City Manager Mr Johann Mettler has received and accepted the resignation letter from Cllr Murunwa Makwarela as executive mayor of the city with immediate effect today.

Dr Makwarela has been embroiled in a dispute with the city over his sequestration order in 2016 and his assertion that he has been rehabilitated in 2018, which authorities have confirmed to be untrue.

Mr Mettler has since written to the Gauteng Provincial Officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) this afternoon informing him of a casual vacancy which has occurred at the city following the disqualification of a Congress of the People (COPE) Proportional Representative (PR) Councillor, Dr Murunwa Makwarela.

The disqualification is in terms of Section 158 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, also read with Section 47(1) (c) of the Constitution. Furthermore, this disqualification is also in terms of Schedule 1 Section 19 (c) (d) of the Municipal Structures Act (Act 117 of 1998).

Item 18 of part 3 of Schedule 1, of the Local Government Structures Act (Act 117 of 1998), stipulates that if a Councillor elected from a party list ceases to hold office, the Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC most declare in writing the person whose name is at the top of the applicable party list to be elected in the vacancy.

In terms of the said Act, a party may supplement, change, or increase its list at any time, provided that if a Councillor elected according to party list ceases to hold office. The vacancy must be filled within 14 days after 21 days period.

The Congress of the People will have to submit the necessary lists for the filling of this vacancy.

Dr Makwarela was elected to the position of Speaker of Council on 20 January 2022 and as executive mayor of the City of Tshwane on 28 February 2023.

Statement issued by City of Tshwane, 10 March 2023