‘We will find traitors,’ says DA after ‘pro-ANC, EFF’ mayor is elected
In an unexpected twist of events, a candidate endorsed by the EFF and ANC was elected as Tshwane's new mayor on Tuesday.
The DA said it would track down “traitors” in their midst after their candidate failed to be elected Tshwane’s mayor earlier this week.
Instead, the post was filled by an allegedly “pro-ANC, EFF” candidate, Dr Murunwa Makwarela of Cope – previously the Council Speaker.
“There was betrayal within the coalition,” said the party’s mayoral candidate, Cilliers Brink.
“We will find the seven traitors and remove them. We will further remove Makwarela from the position.”
Makwarela was elected Tshwane’s new mayor on Tuesday during a special council sitting as a result of Randall Williams no longer serving as the metro’s mayor.
This also means Williams’ Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) was dissolved.
Cope has one seat (Makwarela) in the council and was seemingly part of the Tshwane coalition government, which consists of the DA, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, the ACDP and the IFP.
He has resigned as the Speaker with immediate effect on Tuesday.
Makwarela had been a member of the multiparty coalition in Tshwane since its inception.
The coalition’s stability took a knock after he was nominated for mayor by the EFF and seconded for the position by the ANC.
Makwarela had previously denied that he would run for the mayorship; however, in a twist of events he won the election after accepting nominations.
This came after the coalition engaged in a public spat with Makwarela after he was accused of not urgently resolving an urgent meeting to set February 24 as the date for the special election.
Instead, Makwarela opted for February 28.
Makwarela’s Cope crest was removed in a statement by the coalition government as they also accused him of aligning his party with the ANC and EFF.
According to the multiparty coalition, this was to get elected as the mayor of Tshwane.
Makwarela, however, denied that he was aligned with the EFF and ANC.
“I take note of the serious allegations made in the multiparty media statement stating that I have now aligned myself with the ANC and the EFF to get elected. This is a misrepresentation of myself and my character. I have always been and will remain committed to this multiparty coalition.”
Makwarela, in his mayoral acceptance speech, said he would focus on enhancing basic services, streetlights, potholes and cleaning the city.
“We used to have the cleanest city after Port Elizabeth, now it’s filthy.”
He further said he could not afford to have ratepayers suffer an approximately R11-billion shortfall.
“This is an impossible budget for the ratepayers. Our debtor’s book is in a mess, our cash flow is collapsing – we are a metro in distress.”
Makwarela said he was willing to work will all parties in council to bring stability to Tshwane.
Makwarela received 112 votes, while Brink only received 101 from fellow councillors during the special council meeting.
The numbers did not amount to 214 as ward 105 was vacant.
DA member and former Tshwane MMC Cilliers Brink had been endorsed by the multiparty coalition as a mayoral candidate.
Further, the DA had been the only party in the coalition agreement that could field a candidate for mayor.
He had aimed to bring back financial stability to Tshwane as the multi-party coalition held more than a 50% plus two majority in the council.
He had promised to do this by selling off assists such as the Wonderboom airport.
Brink said “the multi-party coalition has been defeated. We were meant to have 108 votes to elect a new mayor, but only managed 101.”
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He said the DA would not abandon Tshwane.
ActionSA President Herman Mashaba condemned the councillors who “betrayed” the multi-party coalition.
“We will act decisively against any of our members found to be complicit.”
Multi-party coalition Chairperson Dr Cornè Mulder said “it is clear that some councillors from within the coalition were induced to break ties with the coalition and support Makwarela”.
“All parties within the coalition will work to identify those who sold out the residents of Tshwane and the coalition.”
He said a motion of no confidence would be tabled to remove Makwarela from the mayorship.
ANC Tshwane Secretary George Matjila said the ANC “gleefully” welcomed Makwarela as the mayor-elect of Tshwane.
Matjila said the new local government had to now deal with the backlog of service delivery issues that plagued the townships in Tshwane.
He said these included the water crisis that had engulfed the residents of Bronkhortspruit and Hammanskraal to the sanitation crisis in Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane and Soshanguve.
EFF chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu congratulated Makwarela on his election.
“Mr Brink in his juvenile presumptions derided the Wonderboom airport, advocating for the privatisation of the municipal airport for personal gain and consolidation of capitalists’ wealth.”
He said the EFF would work tirelessly to ensure that Makwarela meet the needs of residents, especially in the townships and informal settlements.
Makwarela has still to elect his mayoral committee.
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