Tshwane residents used as pawns in political power game

27 February 2020

The ANC and EFF have once again disrupted a Tshwane Council meeting and refused to allow the meeting to proceed, and for a new mayor to be elected.

The meeting collapsed after the ANC and EFF staged a walkout, stating that they would not participate until Speaker Katlego Mathebe resigned from her position.

The Speaker’s right to hold Office has been upheld by a Court. But the ANC and EFF clearly have no respect for the judiciary.

But this is a red herring. The ANC and EFF have had three weeks to negotiate their terms in the run-up to the election of a new Mayor but have failed to find each other. Now they are playing for more time, and in the process are abusing residents and using them as political pawns.

Once again, it is the residents of Tshwane that suffer while the ANC and EFF compete for whatever opportunities are available in order to try and finance their respective election campaigns in the run-up to the 2021 local government elections.

Council has important matters to deal with, such as the approval of the adjustment budget which needs to be concluded urgently, in order for the city to realign the budget to the identified service delivery needs. A delay in approving the budget will have a negative impact on all residents in Tshwane.

It is time to put our differences aside, find common ground, and get back to the business of Council.

Issued by Mike Moriarty, Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, 27 February 2020