‘Tshwane chaos is deliberate’ – Steenhuisen

The continuous collapsing of Tshwane council meetings are just a “deliberate strategy” for the metro to be placed under administration, according to DA leader John Steenhuisen.

Three of the party’s top leaders had met with the caucus in Tshwane yesterday following the political deadlock in the metro.

Council meetings had twice collapsed last week when the ANC and EFF walked out of the ordinary sitting on Thursday. The following day, both parties made a no-show at a special council meeting meant to vote on extending the acting city manager’s period of service.

There have been four consecutive collapsed sittings since the beginning of the year. The ANC and EFF walk-outs were in protest against speaker Katlego Mathebe whom the parties want to be removed.

Steenhuisen said this was just a ploy to gain support from Gauteng cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Lebogang Maile, to place the city under administration.

“This is a deliberate strategy and it is driven intentionally by the ANC because what they want to do is portray the council as dysfunctional and unable to operate so that Maile can shroud political treachery… and intervene in this municipality.”

Maile had placed the city under intervention according to Section 139 (1)(a) of the Constitution.

But Steenhuisen vowed to “resist” any intervention by the MEC.

“Section 139 interventions were meant to be used when municipalities are unable to perform their functions for a variety of reasons. Collapsing a municipality intentionally by a party is not that reason, particularly when done with an ulterior motive, as is the case here. We know it is the case because several of our councillors have been told by people in the ANC that this is the strategy they want to adopt.”

“I want to make it very clear – we will resist a Section 139 intervention and if we need to take the matter to court, we would be prepared to do so.

Maile is expected to brief the media on the city’s governance and leadership today. A special council meeting is also expected to convene today to elect leadership. The DA had put forward Randall Williams as the mayoral candidate.

Steenhuisen said they were in talks with other parties including the ANC and EFF.

“There are ongoing discussions with the EFF. As late as last week Wednesday afternoon I had a face to face meeting with [Julius] Malema and [Floyd] Shivambu.”

rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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