Tshwane’s new administration team to be announced

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) approved last week the dissolution of the capital city by the Gauteng provincial government.

The decision by Gauteng province to invoke section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution was supported by the national department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (CogTa) as well as eight provinces. The Western Cape province had opposed the resolution.

The Tshwane council officially dissolved on Saturday.

Gauteng MEC of CogTa Lebogang Maile would be announcing the new team of administrators that would be running Tshwane until the by-elections at a media briefing in Johannesburg today.

But the DA were challenging the decision in court, with the matter expected to be heard on Tuesday before the North Gauteng High Court.

Should the court find that the Gauteng provincial government overreached itself, the matter would be set aside immediately, Tshwane DA mayoral candidate Randall Williams.

“Otherwise, judgement may be reserved and ruled on in the following week. In the interim, DA councillors are committed to assist residents where possible despite no longer being officially recognised,” said Williams.

He said service delivery could be interrupted pending the court case on Tuesday.

“We hope that the decision to place the municipality under administration will be overturned.”

Maile and Gauteng Premier David Makhura had earlier this month announced they would place Tshwane under administration following a political impasse in the metro.

Since the failure to hold several council meetings as ANC and EFF would stage walk-outs in protest of Speaker Katlego Mathebe, the city was without a mayor, mayoral committee and a city manager.

Council also failed to vote on the adjustment budget for the 2019/20 financial year due to the collapsed meetings.

rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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