Tshwane Mayor saga: ANC criticises DA for delaying process

The African National Congress (ANC) in the City of Tshwane has criticised the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) high court application to stop the removal of mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and speaker Katlego Mathebe, as ‘being all over the place.’

According to SABC News, the application was postponed to Thursday 19 December 2019. Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has been placed on special leave by the DA. 

“It is the DA that is delaying the process in the City of Tshwane,” said ANC Tshwane regional chairperson Kgoshi Maepa. 

What the DA’s application was intended for  

The application was to allow the ANC to study documents of an additional application by Mokgalapa, acting mayor Abel Tau, Speaker Katlego Mathebe and councillor Zweli Khumalo to join the proceedings in Tshwane. 

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the ANC controlled province had earlier presided over a council meeting and resolved to allow the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the ANC to nominate EFF councillor Obakeng Ramabodu to act in the speaker’s role.

However, the court temporarily set aside that resolution.

Changing applications at the drop of a hat 

According to EWN, Maepa accused the DA of flouting court procedures and changing applicants as they went along.

“The DA has changed the deponents of the affidavit, first it was Crezane Bosch [and] we replied and asked for her locus standi. When they realised that she didn’t have locus standi, as she was a member of the provincial legislature, they changed the applicant,” Maepa said.

ANC lawyers said they would file the replying papers on Wednesday 18 December 2019, but Maepa said the court process was pointless.

“The matters of the court must be dealt with in court and the matter of council but be dealt with in the council. The court cannot say the votes must go like this, the court can say ‘go back and vote in council’,” he said.

DA with their blue lies and blue t-shirts

Maepa said the DA is constantly walking into the Gauteng High Court with blue files and more applications. 

“The DA with their blue lies, their blue t-shirts and now their blue file,” said Maepa.  

“We are not against the submission of any papers if the judge so allows. What we did is that we took those papers. Our lawyers said they will respond to the papers tomorrow. We will file a responding affidavit. I will do the affidavit myself as the first founding affidavit I’ve done. The case of the DA is all over the show,” said Maepa. 

The ANC was blindsided with the second application but they will be prepared to fight on Thursday for the Mayor of Tshwane, alongside the DA and the EFF. 

The ANC and EFF vowed to remove Mokgalapa and Mathebe again when the council sits next year.