Lebogang Maile, Gauteng’s MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), has appointed a team of administrators to run the city ahead of a by-election.
The team will be led by former West Rand district mayor Mpho Nawa, who is in charge of the municipality for 90 days.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday endorsed Gauteng premier David Makhura’s decision to place Tshwane under administration as per section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution.
READ: NCOP officially dissolves the Tshwane metro
The decision was endorsed after the Tshwane council failed to elect a new mayor and to approve the adjustment budget last month, following the resignation of Stevens Mokgalapa.
Mokgalapa was the second DA mayor to step down under a cloud after Solly Msimanga resigned ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Challenge
The DA is, however, challenging the decision in the high court.
Maile told journalists at a media briefing that the province was not worried about the DA’s bid to overturn the dissolution of council.
“We are confident we have a strong case; we can’t waste time,” said Maile.
Maile also told journalists the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) was ready to hold by-elections in the capital city, but added that concerns around the global coronavirus outbreak was an issue the IEC would deal with.
“We are working on the basis that elections will take place in 90 days because the team is here for 90 days,” said Maile.
The Cogta MEC listed the key tasks facing the interim team, which included undertaking all executive functions of the municipal council, executive functions of the mayor, fiscal functions of the municipality, to implement government systems, develop and implement a turnaround strategy for the city, oversight of the administration and appointing a city manager.
“We want to deploy people who are going to help us turn things around because things are really bad in this city,” said Maile.
Needs of the municipality
He said the task team was selected with the needs of the municipality in mind and did not have any political affiliations.
Maile labelled the DA as desperate and dismissed its claims that he was politically targeting the city.
He said interventions in other municipalities were also under way.
“They all have problems, but in Tshwane they don’t have the capacity to resolve their problems,” said Maile.
Maile’s team also includes Gilberto Martins; Lefadi Matibinyane; Riada Kruger; Lebogang Mahaye; Lesedi Mere; Thulisile Njapa-Mashanda; Masabatha Mutlaneng; Shiva Makoto; and former City of Johannesburg city manager Mavela Dlamini.
