Tshwane under administration paves way for ANC, EFF to loot coffers - Cope

Share this article: Share Tweet Share Share Share Email Share

Pretoria - The Congress of the People said a move to put the City of Tshwane under administration paved a way for both the EFF and ANC to loot coffers of the municipality. In a media statement the party said it was not surprised by the move, citing previous failed attempts by the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Affairs Lebogang Maile to suspend council Speaker Katlego Mathebe. "MEC Lebogang Maile tried a few weeks ago to suspend the Speaker of Tshwane and when challenged in court, he withdrew the action because he knew that his action was illegal," Cope said in a statement. On Thursday morning Premier David Makhura announced that the metro council would be dissolved and be placed under administration. Makhura said a team of administrators would be announced within seven days to run the affairs of the city.

The team was expected to be in charge for 90 days. The city would subsequently go for by-elections to elect new political leadership.

Since last week the metro has been without a mayor after former Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa resigned.

On February 27 council could not extend the contract of the acting city manager Makgorometje Makgatha after councilors of the EFF and ANC walked out of a council sitting.

Cope accused both the ANC and the EFF of making Tshwane ungovernable by disrupting the numerous council sittings.

According to the party the disruptions were made with "a clear objective to enable its MEC, Maile to step in and stage a coup".

"It is clear that the ANC is hell-bent on ruling Tshwane by illegal and undemocratic means.

"This undemocratic and unholy alliance between the ANC and EFF is an agenda of action just to loot Tshwane and leave it bankrupt like the majority of municipalities in the country," the party said.

The party said it intended meeting with other political parties in Tshwane and civil society organisations with a view to investigating ways to challenge the legality of the decision.

Pretoria News