Tshwane speaker Katlego Mathebe resigns after DA trades position with Cope
Mathebe had to resign after the DA traded her position to Cope during coalition talks last year. Tshwane regional chairperson Dr Murunwa Makwarela was expected to take over from Mathebe.
Tshwane metro council speaker Katlego Mathebe has resigned after DA traded her position in the coalition talks to the Congress of the People (Cope).
Tshwane mayor Randall Williams confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Mathebe had to vacate office after the DA agreed to give her position to their coalition partner Cope during formal coalition agreement talks, last year.
Photo: Tshwane media team
Williams said Mathebe would assume the role of MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management which was left vacant during the announcement of the mayoral committee in December.
“Alderman Mathebe’s appointment to the mayoral committee follows her resignation yesterday (Tuesday) as the Speaker of the City of Tshwane council,” Williams said.
“Council will soon convene to appoint a new speaker.”
Cope Tshwane regional chairperson Dr Murunwa Makwarela confirmed on Wednesday to Rekord that he would be taking over the position of speaker.
“On behalf of the Tshwane metro, I would like to thank Alderman Mathebe for her sterling work during her tenure as speaker of council. She presided over council meetings in a commendable manner during some of the most challenging political periods in the metro,” Williams said.
Previously the environment portfolio was headed by DA’s Dana Wannenburg who did not make a comeback in the new mayoral committee.
“I look forward to working with Alderman Mathebe in her new role as MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management. Her appointment means that all 10 multiparty mayoral committee positions have now been filled.”
Cope, which managed to seal the deal with the DA in the key position of speaker, holds one seat in the Tshwane council. Other political party’s part of the multi-party agreement such as Freedom Front Plus and ActionSA took positions in the mayoral committee.
Mathebe has been the speaker of the council since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed on November 23, last year.
Mathebe was the speaker of council during what political analysts describe as the chaotic years for the council. Before the Tshwane council was dissolved in March 2020 by the provincial government, there were disagreements between Mathebe, EFF and ANC councillors who on several occasions put a motion of no confidence against her. The disagreements, due to political tensions between the DA, ANC and EFF, started in late 2019 and continued into 2020.
The EFF and ANC ward councillors walked out of the council several times as they refused to sit in meetings presided over by Mathebe. Since October 2020, when councillors went back to council things have been relatively calm.
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