Mashaba using Zille as excuse to get out before being exposed – ANC

During a media briefing in council chambers on Monday, Mashaba announced that he would step down.

His announcement was made shortly after Helen Zille was elected the DA’s federal council chairperson.

But in a statement issued on Monday, regional spokesperson Jolidee Matongo said Mashaba’s resignation had very little to do with Zille’s election.

“His resignation is informed by the dire financial crisis that he has plunged the City of Johannesburg into,” Matongo said.

“He has over time been able to get away with lies about the financial affairs of the City.

“Mashaba is running away from the soon-to-be-exposed truth that the City of Johannesburg is broke and may not be able to finance the day-to-day basic costs of providing water and electricity to Johannesburg residents, including paying salaries to staff.”

Matongo also labelled Mashaba a “sore loser”, adding that he used Zille’s election as an excuse to exit.

Meanwhile, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said it welcomed Mashaba’s resignation as it brought to an end his “reign of terror in which workers and unions have been victims”.

The union said since Mashaba came into office following the 2016 local government elections, he undermined collective bargaining.

“Under Mashaba, there have been no sound labour relations, with the City failing to convene local labour forums,” it said.

The union also alleged that under Mashaba’s leadership, the City had spent millions in litigation costs – which was used to take the union to court.

“Under the leadership of Mashaba, the City has illegally withheld almost R30m of workers’ money in its attempt to cripple Samwu in Johannesburg.

“We have also learned that individuals who had been captured by Mashaba have now stolen R19m with the help of Mashaba and municipal management.

“Workers have felt the wrath of Mashaba for the past 3 years, with the mayor prosecuting workers through the media without any shred of evidence. To this day, many workers have been placed on extended suspensions.”

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