The newly elected Tshwane mayor, Dr Murunwa Makwarela, has been disqualified from holding the position of mayor.

As a result, Tshwane needs to fill the vacancy within 14 days.

Makwarela was disqualified after he failed to provide proof of rehabilitation from his 2016 insolvency to the Tshwane city manager.

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba says  Makwarela was removed from his position as he was not successfully rehabilitated.

Bokaba adds that the metro learnt that Makwarela was sequestrated in 2016 after he failed to answer some key questions set by the city manager, Johann Mettler.

Bokaba explains the lacklustre answers by Makwarela prompted Mettler to write to the Gauteng provincial officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) yesterday morning that Makwarela was disqualified in terms of Section 158 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, also read with Section 47(1) (c) of the Constitution.

“Furthermore, this disqualification is also in terms of Schedule 1 Section 19 (c) (d) of the Municipal Structures Act (Act 117 of 1998).”

Ward councillor Jacqui Uys says the DA welcomes Mettler’s decision to declare a vacancy for the seat held by Makwarela.

“He failed to produce evidence that he is not an unrehabilitated insolvent and thus ineligible to hold office as a councillor in terms of Section 158(1) of the Constitution.

“Last week, shortly after Makwarela’s election as the ANC-EFF candidate for mayor of Tshwane, a member of the public informed the multi-party coalition that Makwarela had been sequestrated by the Gauteng High Court in August 2016.

“We were unable to find evidence of a rehabilitation order in the matter. Thus, we wrote to the city manager and the IEC to ask that Makwarela be requested to produce evidence of his rehabilitation.”

Uys says Makwarela could not produce such evidence.

“This meant he misled the public when he accepted his nomination as councillor of Tshwane on November 1, 2021.

“By failing to disclose his insolvency status, he further misled the public by accepting his nomination as speaker of the council and later as mayor.

“He must be held to full account for his actions.”

The DA has requested quick elections for a new executive mayor as soon as possible.