Who Will Be Tshwane’s Next Mayor?

JOHANNESBURG – As the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) celebrated their joint venture in the removal of Tshwane Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa, the attention now moved to who would take over the mayoral chain.

On Thursday night, 111 councillors voted in support of a motion of no confidence in Mokgalapa.

The ANC cited the water crisis in Hammanskraal, corruption at the Wonderboom Airport, and the so-called sex scandal involving the mayor and former MMC Sheila Senkubuge for their decision to oust Mokgalapa.

Council speaker Katlego Mathebe was also removed through a motion of no confidence.

Acting city manager Moeketsi Ntsimane was now in control until the city council sits again to elect a new mayor and speaker.

The ANC’s Kgosi Maepa said his party would spend the next couple of days engaging with political parties to find consensus on who should be mayor.

“We must sit down as all those parties that voted and come up with different kinds of arrangements in terms of how we move forward,” Maepa said.

But the Democratic Alliance’s John Moody said the next few days would likely be spent in the courts challenging Thursday’s night’s decisions in council.

“Our advocates are busy with this and we will take this matter to court on an urgent basis,” Moody said.

The ANC and the EFF were adamant they followed the law to the letter and were ready to defend themselves.

EWN