Mokgalapa to resign as Tshwane mayor

Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has announced he intends to resign from his position at the end of February, but maintains he did nothing wrong.

He said his presence in office was a “football that others with political malice cannot resist kicking around.”

“I wish to make clear that I have not broken any laws and am confident that I would emerge positively from any assessment of my conduct.”

“But in the end, I have concluded that it is best for the city if I stand down as mayor.”

The Tshwane mayor was expected to return from his special leave on Monday.

“I intend working every second of every hour of my last month in office. In doing so, I will announce further successes from my administration and will make known plans that I will hand over to my successor.”

DA Gauteng leader John Moodey accepted the resignation and thanked Mokgalapa for his service.

He said the party would initiate processes to put forward a mayoral candidate while thanking Mokgalapa for his service.

“In doing so, we will assess the candidates who make themselves available and will consult widely, including with our coalition partners.”

“The DA will select the person who will provide the greatest prospect of successful service delivery for the remainder of the term of office.”

Mokgalapa had been on special leave since November following the release of an audio recording of him and former MMC for roads and transport Sheila Senkubuge engaging in an alleged sex act at the municipality’s Hatfield offices.

Last weekend, the DA’s federal executive received a report into the incident from its federal legal commission recommending that he be hauled before a disciplinary hearing over remarks made during the recording regarding government officials, his predecessor, Solly Msimanga, whom he described as stupid, and the City’s speaker, Katlego Mathebe.

The DA, however, found that there was no proof that Mokgalapa and Senkubuge had sex in the office.

Interim DA leader John Steenhuisen told journalists that the action against Mokgalapa had nothing to do with the actions of two consenting adults. Rather, it related to remarks which the mayor made.

“Who people choose to love and how they do so, is their business but when we have matters that impact on governance, particularly transparency and accountability, we will always step in to ensure the values and principles of the party are being upheld,” Steenhuisen said.

Mokgalapa told News24 a day after federal executive took the decision: “I have been informed and I will participate in it. I won’t go into the merits of the matter as it is an internal process, but I have always said I would be willing to go through with it.”

While he was reluctant to discuss how he expected the process to unfold along with possible outcomes, he said he was not trying to make presumptions.

“I am not going to prejudge an internal process, leaving it there… This one shall pass too.”

The Mokgalapa scandal bolstered the ANC’s attempts in the municipality to remove the DA from its controlling seat, which was secured through a coalition government and the assistance of the EFF.

The red berets also vowed to vote against the DA as they had done in Johannesburg, a move which saw the party lose control of South Africa’s economic hub.

Numerous attempts for a motion of no confidence and to remove the DA leadership have failed over recent months, with one sitting finding its way onto the court roll.

The Gauteng government has also attempted to intervene on numerous occasions, with Housing MEC Lebogang Maile recently suspending the speaker of council, only to rescind his decision on Monday.

An embattled Mokgalapa refused to speak about the personal impact of being in the eye of the storm that has had an impact on the City’s functioning that could cost the DA its control of the municipality.

“This is part of politics, it comes with the package and as a politician you take it as it is,” he said. “You adapt or die.”

(Background reporting, News24 Wire)

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