WATCH: EFF storms Tshwane offices and ‘frog-march’ staff out after mayor’s resignation

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have stormed the mayoral office in Tshwane and demanded the removal of political staff and mayoral committee members whom the party believed were no longer elected officials.

Tshwane mayor resignation

This comes after Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams on Monday took many by surprise when he announced his decision to resign with effect from midnight.

However, a few hours later he submitted another letter to Council Speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela indicating that he had changed the resignation date to February 28, causing confusion as to which letter would be accepted as being valid by the council.

Watch: EFF storms Tshwane mayoral office

EFF storm offices

Speaking to The Citizen, Sipho Stuurman from the Office of the Executive Mayor in Tshwane claims the EFF were unhappy there was no mayor to run the city.

“The EFF stormed the mayoral offices and they forced out political staff ,such as the chief of staff Jordan Griffiths, out of their office claiming there is no government and that the mayor has resigned.”

“Mayor Randall Williams, the outgoing mayor, is currently on special leave, while MMC Peter Sutton is the acting mayor until 28 February,” Stuurman said.

ALSO READ: Tshwane special council meeting to decide on Williams’ resignation cancelled

Council sitting

Stuurman said the special council sitting in Tshwane scheduled for Wednesday to afford councillors the opportunity to deliberate on the validity of two letters of resignation by Williams was cancelled at the 11th hour.

“The speaker was advised and received legal advice to say Randall’s letter to resign on the 28^th of February is valid.”

“So, anybody that’s trying to say the letter is not valid are driving their own political agenda and trying to advantage of the situation and that can never be acceptable. How they treated and frog-marched the staff out of the office is not acceptable. Fortunately, we do not have any serious injuries. The behaviour displayed by the EFF is simply unacceptable,” Stuurman said.

Williams, a councillor from the Democratic Alliance (DA), said in his resignation letter he was honoured to have served as Tshwane’s mayor.

“To have served in this role has been one of the greatest honours of my life. There is no greater privilege I believe than to have been chosen to public office to represent my fellow citizens,” he said.

ALSO READ: Tshwane mayor Randall Williams resigns