Cope throws ‘baboon’ ex-mayor under the bus over forgery

Congress of the People (Cope) says now former City of Tshwane mayor Dr Murunwa Makwarela has resigned from the party amid his insolvency scandal.

Makwarela tendered his resignation both as Tshwane mayor and PR councillor for Cope in the city on Friday.

Earlier in the week, the former mayor claimed that he had been granted insolvency rehabilitation in 2018 and was subsequently reinstated in his position.

However, the Pretoria High Court on Friday confirmed that it did not issue his insolvency clearance certificate, leading to suspicions that Makwarela allegedly used a fake certificate to reverse his removal.

Makwarela was declared insolvent on 2016 which, in turn, prohibited him from holding public office.

‘Thievery’

Cope spokesperson, Dennis Bloem has since announced Makwarela was no longer a member of the party as well.

Addressing the media outside Tshwane House on Friday afternoon, Cope deputy president Willie Madisha said the party was “extremely angry” and apologised for Makwarela’s conduct.

“He was purpose to serve the people of Tshwane,” he said.

Madisha said it was responsibility of Cope’s Gauteng provincial leaders to verify Makwarela’s credentials.

“The province is the last level that does [the vetting process]. We are going to check with our province and if they have not done their work then the organisation is going to have to deal with them,” the Cope deputy president continued.

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He pointed out that Cope’s national leadership was in the dark about “this kind of thievery was permeating this organisation and this particular city as well”.

“We’ve read what came to us a few hours ago from the registrar of the high court. This shows that there is an extreme level of forgery and Cope doesn’t believe in that. The people of our country will know that we formed Cope because we’re not happy with corruption.”

“In our own opinion, he stole [public funds] from the time he became a councillor, speaker and mayor. How much has he received? That money belongs to the people of South Africa and not his pocket. He must bring back that money because what he did was wrong,” Madisha said.

Madisha also questioned Makwarela’s qualifications.

“We cannot allow any baboon to come here and cause problems whether that baboon calls itself a doctor or whatever.”

The Cope deputy president said the party would tightened its vetting process and will bring forward another councillor “who is clean” to replace Makwarela in Tshwane.

He added the party would consider going the legal route against Makwarela.

Criminal charges

Reacting to the saga, the African National Congress (ANC) said “shocked, shattered and devastated” by Makwarela’s actions.

“We trusted him because the man was the speaker for over a period of a year and we thought he is an honest person,” ANC Tshwane chairperson George Matjila said.

Matjila also reiterated that the ANC has no desire to put forward a candidate from the ruling party for mayoral position.

Furthermore, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and its coalition partners – including Action SA, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) – have laid the charges against Makwarela at the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria on Friday.

READ MORE: City of Tshwane fails to elect new speaker as bribery claims fly

Speaking to the media, DA caucus chair in Tshwane, Jacqui Uys disputed the suggestion that the multi-party coalition had to vet Makwarela.

“It is quite a ludicrous notion that any of the party in the coalition should check up on another party and their candidate… it’s not our responsibility,” she said.

Uys said a whistleblower approached the party with the information Makwarela’s insolvency after he elected as mayor.

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomed the former mayor’s resignation.

“We are of the view that Dr Makwarela should be given sufficient time to clear his name in a neutral court of law and deal with other personal legal matters. The indecisiveness to elect him both as speaker of council and executive mayor, is regrettably a collective responsibility of all 214 councillors in the municipal council.

“During this time it is important to avoid cheap politics, but move forward to elect a new speaker and executive mayor,” the Red Berets said in a statement.