Collapsed Tshwane meeting attempt to put it under administration – mayor Brink

Tshwane’s mayor has raised concerns over the metro possibly facing administration after failing to pass the mid-year adjustment budget and draft budget for the next financial year.

According to mayor Cilliers Brink, if the metro fails to meet the April 14 deadline, it could be left with insufficient time to consult the public on the proposed tariffs, budget allocations and development plan changes in time for the new financial year.

Gauteng Treasury last month granted Tshwane a second extension to April 14 to table the adjustment budget after it failed to meet the first.

Tshwane failed to consider the adjustment budget for the financial year 2022/23 and draft medium-term revenue and expenditure framework (MTREF) for 2023/24 on April 13 after Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana adjourned the special sitting around 17:00.

Before the adjournment, several council members had spent the majority of the day in caucus.

Brink alleged that the adjournment was a deliberate attempt by Ndzwanana to create conditions to place Tshwane under administration.

“I am concerned that the adjournment of yesterday’s meeting of the council is part of a deliberate attempt to prevent the majority of councillors from passing a midyear adjustment budget and tabling a draft budget for the next financial year.

If these two budget items are not passed by the council on April 14, it will create the pretext for the Gauteng government to intervene in Tshwane in terms of Section 139 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

I am convinced that such intervention will serve an ulterior political purpose and prove disastrous for service delivery and financial management in the capital city.”

In February and March, Tshwane experienced a leadership vacuum when it failed to elect a mayor and mayoral committee.

Brink said the multiparty coalition attempted to seek a court order, to compel the council to pass a budget, however, the case was lost with costs.

“I, therefore, call on the leadership of political parties in council as well as the Speaker to act in the best interest of the people of Tshwane and allow the majority of councillors to pass the midyear adjustment budget and table the draft budget for the next financial year.”

The meeting to pass the adjustment budget will be expected to resume on April 14.

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