‘Tshwane isn’t under administration’ – DA accuses ANC of ‘creating storm’

The DA has called Gauteng Cogta MEC Lebohang Maile’s plans to place the Tshwane Metro under administration flawed and baseless.

The DA’s Gauteng leader, John Moodey, together with acting mayor Abel Tau and MMC of Finance Mare-Lize Fourie held a media briefing on Monday on the state of the city.

The DA, which has been battling the ANC in the courts for control of the metro, said Section 139 of the Constitution had made specific provisions that allow for provincial governments to intervene in local municipalities.

Fourie explained interventions only became necessary when two requirements were met – those included when the municipality was unable to perform its duties or executive obligations.

With an upgrade of two notches by ratings agency Moody’s and unqualified audits in the past two years, the DA said the metro had performed its financial and service delivery duties.

Moodey said the party had received a letter from Maile indicating his intention, and the party had responded by questioning his intentions.

“The majority of the issues that are raised in that letter is not executive authority. Not at all. Not in any way… You ask yourself where has the City of Tshwane failed in terms of the financial executive obligation? Nowhere. The intention of the MEC puts into question what they want to achieve,” said Fourie.

He added they were waiting on a copy of the executive council decision to determine what type of intervention the City of Tshwane would take, saying they reserved the right to take whatever legal route was necessary.

Last year, Maile made it known he was keeping a close watch on DA-led metros in Johannesburg and Tshwane, flagging the two as the worst, with Tshwane leading the pack.

Maile said Tshwane was also flagged by the Auditor-General’s report as being the worst when it came to unauthorised, irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure.

“I am fully aware of the shenanigans of Maile, continuing his tangent of having placed Tshwane under administration. Let me make it categorically clear, Tshwane is not under administration, it’s a long way until that happens. It is not just a whim of the MEC and the exco of the province to decide.

“Tshwane’s situation is not as dire as what the ANC and the MEC make it out to be. They are creating a storm. It is nothing else but a smokescreen and daggers. Tshwane is on an even keel,” Moodey said.

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