Tshwane council showdown: Mokgalapa is skating on thin ice – ANC, EFF

Things were intense inside the City of Tshwane council, on Thursday evening. A motion of no confidence against Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa, tabled by the EFF and the ANC, was thrown out on a technicality and things quickly got out of hand.

Why ANC, EFF want Mokgalapa ousted

The ANC and EFF, often at odds on opinion, have banded together in calling for the immediate removal of Mokgalapa, the Executive Mayor of Tshwane.

The parties have placed blame on Mokgalapa for the current water crisis facing residents of Hammanskraal. In a statement, the EFF, accused Mokgalapa of:

• the general deterioration of fiscal and procurement management standards at the metro; and
• failing to address power outages that have affected residents of Laudium, Ateridgeville, Mamelodi and Soshanguve.

Much to their frustrations, though, Tshwane council speaker, Katlego Mathebe, refused to initiate the motion on the basis of a technicality.

In a dramatic turn of events, Mathebe ruled that the reasons furnished by both parties were more accusatory in nature and not drawn from cncrete facts. Therefre, on that note, the motion could not be tabled for a vote.

“I have been referring to the legislation I have been referring to the rules and orders and indeed I have applied my mind independently. The motion is lacking in an understanding of the role of the executive mayor in its entirety irrespective of the two service delivery functions, that of water and electricity.

“The mover of the motion, however, seems to be projecting an understanding that the executive mayor is single-handedly responsible for these operations,” the speaker stated.

This meant that, by virute of a contextual error on the part of the ANC and EFF, Mokgalapa has lived another day to serve Tshwane as Executive Mayor, since the 90 councillors who remained behind didn’t form a quorum.

What happens now?

The ANC has threatened to take matters further, though. During Thursday’s verbal scuffle between ANC caucus members and the council speaker, the ruling party warned that the matter would be taken to the courts for an interdict. In a letter sent to Mathebe, the ANC’s lawyers warned that:

“failure to present the motion will leave our client with no option but to approach the High Court on an urgent basis and interdict against your unlawful conduct. Should our client resort to approaching the court on [an] urgent basis, you will be held liable for the legal costs incurred.”

ANC Caucus, Tshwane

The EFF, who staged a classic Red Beret walkout has also threatened to approach the courts in a bid to compel the speaker to table the motion.