Battle for Tshwane – ANC, DA in court next week
In its urgent application, the DA believes they have a strong case to argue against the dissolution of the capital city's council.
File picture. Different political parties can be seen during a short caucus before the start of council at Tshwane House, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The battle for the City of Tshwane takes place next Tuesday when the ANC’s provincial government and the DA face off in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
This comes after the DA filed an application to have the provincial executive committee’s decision to place Tshwane under administration set aside. The party argued before court that the dissolution decision was taken for “purely political” reasons.
In its urgent application, the DA believes they have a strong case to argue against the dissolution of the capital city’s council.
The council has been dogged by issues of council meetings falling apart and allegations of corruption.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Lebogang Maile, who is at the heart of the court challenge by the DA, said the provincial executive will be represented by senior counsel, advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
Ngcukaitobi has assured them they have a strong case against the blue party.
“The DA has been able to secure a date. Our senior counsel briefed us in the exco meeting on the arguments and merits of the DA case, our chances and our approach. We are happy. We are ready. We have said to the DA we will meet in court,” he said.
Meanwhile, this week Maile must also convince the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chair Amos Masondo on the merits of the decision to dissolve the Tshwane council under Section 139(1)(c) of the constitution. He is scheduled to meet with the NCOP before Friday’s deadline for Masondo to give concurrence.
The provincial administration needs the permission of the NCOP, as well as Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to place the metro under Section 139 of the constitution.
Maile said Dlamini-Zuma gave concurrence with conditions which included keeping her abreast on a monthly basis and for the province to appoint administrators complimented by a team of experts.
Earlier in March, Gauteng premier David Makhura announced that Tshwane would be dissolved and placed under administration and that by-elections were expected to take place within 90 days of the appointment of administrators.
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