DA stealing Tshwane’s money for Msimanga campaign – ANC

The DA has been accused of using Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga’s administration to fund his campaign for election as the Gauteng premier.

The ANC made these allegations yesterday, saying Msimanga was merely a pawn of the party’s “white caucus”.

Speaking at a short media briefing during a recess at an urgent council sitting yesterday, ANC Tshwane region chairperson Kgosi Maepa accused the mayor and city manager Moeketsi Mosola of embezzling funds from the city to fund the DA.

The urgent council meeting was called after Msimanga proposed the suspension of Mosola for his alleged involvement in the irregular appointment of an engineering consulting company. The matter is being probed.

Maepa believes there was no way Msimanga was not aware of the alleged corruption, as he was “used by the white caucus” within the party to “beat” the DA’s “black caucus”.

“The DA is taking money to use it for elections. The mayor is a premier candidate. They were embezzling the money to campaign. They steal money to make sure it goes to the DA. The corruption is to promote the white agenda and racism. And it is at the expense of the residents of Tshwane,” Maepa said.

Msimanga, upon council’s approval, issued Mosola a notice of intention to suspend him yesterday after the mayor on Tuesday recommended that the city manager and other senior managers be suspended due to alleged tender irregularities.

But despite the Tshwane ANC calling for the removal of Mosola in recent weeks, Maepa believes the city manager is taking the fall for the DA.

“The mayor intends to suspend him but doesn’t say why. The DA is corrupt. The buck stops with [Msimanga]. He is the highest political official and head of the city. He needs to be accountable. He said he is investigating but how do you investigate yourself?” said Maepa.

Mayoral spokesperson Sam Mgobozi refuted the allegations, calling on the ANC to produce evidence.

“The insinuations are preposterous,” said Mgobozi.

EFF threatens consequences for mayor

The Economic Freedom Fighters failed to stand against corruption when they walked out of the Tshwane council sitting when a report was tabled to issue a notice to suspend city manager Moeketsi Mosola, according to mayor Solly Msimanga.

Mosola, who was issued a notice of intention to suspend him yesterday, was allegedly involved in irregularly appointing engineering consulting company GladAfrica to oversee the city’s projects.

While the council was deliberating, the EFF’s national deputy leader Floyd Shivambu took to Twitter, accusing Msimanga of being micromanaged by “the white minority”.

He threatened consequences for Msimanga protecting whites.

“The mayor is micromanaged by the white minority cabal, which imposes underqualified and overpaid administrators in senior management positions. When exposed by the black management, they go for purging. There will be consequences for protecting white entitlement,” said Shivambu in his tweet.

– rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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