Tshwane metro is hiring as mayor vacancy remains unfilled

The clock is ticking for Tshwane metro to urgently fill the mayorship vacancy before March 31 or face the possibility for administration.

The metro needs to pass the adjustment budget by end of the month or service delivery could grind to a complete halt and open the door to the province to place it under administration.

The job became vacant when Dr Murunwa Makwarela resigned on March 10 following allegations he had submitted a falsified certificate of insolvency rehabilitation to the city manager, Johann Mettler.

It is believed that some time early last week, Mettler had been tipped off that Makwarela had been declared insolvent in 2016.

Mettler then asked the newly elected mayor to produce proof of rehabilitation but the latter had failed to do so by deadline leading to him being kicked out of the mayor’s office on Tuesday.

The constitution bars an insolvent from holding public office.

However, on Thursday, Makwarela produced a certificate that purported he had been rehabilitated in 2018.

He was then summarily reinstated but immediately thereafter, the authenticity of the certificate came into doubt when the letterhead appeared to refer to an nonexistent court and presiding judge.

Then chief registrar of the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division Pretoria Tumelo Refilwe Ledwaba put the cat among the pigeons.

“No rehabilitation order has ever been issued regarding the parties named in the said document,” he declared.

“The document purporting to be an order issued by this court was never issued in our court.”

He further said his office would refer the matter to the Hawks for investigation.

Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the metro was embarrassed.

“This was embarrassing for the metro and Tshwane has taken a hammering.”

He said the chain of events from former mayor Randall Williams submitting two resignations in one day to his replacement being disqualified only a few days after election, then reinstated and later resigning had tarnished the metro’s public image.

“All these decisions point to instability in the institution and they have severely damaged the Tshwane brand. We hope the next administration will be able to restore the image of the metro.”

He said management was doubling efforts to render services, however a mayor and mayoral committee were vital to Tshwane.

“For us to continue rendering services, we need to pass the adjustment budget, which was supposed to be passed by January 31.

“That didn’t happen as there was no mayor and mayoral committee, so the city manager has engaged with National Treasury and an extension was granted until March 31.

Bokaba said if the metro was unable to fill the vacancy, Tshwane would be unable to pass the adjustment budget by deadline and services would grind to a halt.

“The consequences are Tshwane could be placed under administration.”

Bokaba said on March 13, councillors were expected to convene to elect a Speaker.

“The Speaker will determine the date for the election of the executive mayor.”

He said voting for the office bearers: speaker, chief whip and mayor was through a secret ballot.

Bokaba said management hoped the mayor would be elected this week for Tshwane to return to stability.

“There are so many outstanding and overdue reports that have to serve in council and require council approval.

“We hope after the election of Speaker on Monday, the Speaker will move with speed and convene a council meeting for the purpose of the election of executive mayor who in turn will appoint his mayoral committee.”

He said Mettler and his legal advisers were looking how the metro could recoup funds paid to Makwarela in wages and possibly file a criminal complaint to hold him accountable.

“These issues are part of a package of issues that are being considered based on the advice of legal experts.”

He said because of disqualification, Makwarela was not supposed to be councillor on November 6, 2021 and subsequently Speaker on January 20, 2022.

He said Mettler would also look into the implications of this on the decisions taken from 2022 with Makwarela presiding as Speaker such as the employment of city manager.

“If we need to go to court for a judge to give a waiver on the decisions, we will go.”

Bokaba said the metro’s vetting of councillors was “a grey area”.

“When councillors are elected, it is a process between the political party and Electoral Commission SA (IEC). The metro is not involved at all.

“The IEC prepares ballots and forms of declaration – it never switches to the hands of the city, it remains with the IEC.”

He said Tshwane could only vet councillors after election to the metro council.

“We don’t have the means to verify the credentials of councillors because we are not involved in processes initially.”

He said the metro, Gauteng department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) and IEC would look into the saga.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram