ANC gives new Tshwane mayor ultimatum

The ANC has given newly elected mayor Stevens Mokgalapa 14 days to deal with those who “misled the city with false qualifications”, Pretoria East Rekord reports.

Tshwane ANC leader Kgosi Maepa also asked the mayor to rectify inflated rates by 28 February or his party would come after him.

He said the new mayor was unable to articulate himself clearly and his grasp of local government seemed sketchy.

Maepa reiterated that Mokgalapa had inherited a poisoned chalice from predecessor Solly Msimanga.

“The new mayor inherits a broken vehicle in this administration, riddled with corruption scandals, maladministration, and the most terrible levels of poor service delivery in the history of our democracy.”

He said the mayor had a mountain of unresolved issues left behind by his predecessor and Gauteng premier-hopeful Solly Msimanga such as the irregular expenditure and appointments relating to GladAfrica.

“The ANC in Tshwane wishes to admonish the mayor to take swift [and] decisive action upon these issues because of their seriousness.

“These issues pushed his predecessor out,” said Maepa.

Maepa said his party did not field a candidate for mayor at Tuesday’s special council as “we did not receive a clear mandate to lead from our electorate in the local government elections of 2016”.

“The voice and the will of our people was that we become the official opposition in the city of Tshwane and it will be incorrect if we were to lead through a coalition agreement.”

He said that the ANC would not be a part of an administration riddled with scandals on a daily basis.

“The ANC would like to state on record that we will continue discharging our duty as the official opposition in council without fear or favour.”

“The city is on the brink of collapse and if the mayor does not roll back these appointments, contracts and employment then the ANC will also push him out, just as we have pushed out the poster boy of corruption,” said Maepa.

Earlier this week, Mokgalapa reached out to the ANC and EFF, saying that he was willing to work with them to improve service delivery and deal with the GladAfrica “elephant in the room” and other issues plaguing the city.

He also told the media he would meet embattled city manager Moeketsi Mosola to find a solution to how the city could extricate itself from the GladAfrica contract the AG ruled irregular.

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