The DA stalled a multibillion-rand building project yesterday when the party walked out of a Tshwane council meeting. The DA said the details of the project were too sketchy to be supported.
A special council meeting was called to adopt a 1300- page report, and effectively authorise construction on Tshwane House - the proposed new headquarters of the capital city.
The Sammy Marks Conference Centre in Pretoria is the present headquarters.
The chief financial officer stressed the need to pay the relevant invoices.
But DA chief whip Marietha Aucamp said the report before the council did not include the complete contract and her party had a number of unanswered questions.
She said: "No public comments were solicited and consequently the comments of the public, the comments of provincial and national treasury and the projected financial obligations of the contract - as well as the future impact of the financial impact on the city's rates and taxes - did not form part of the report before council as required by law."
The DA said the council could not in good conscience approve the report and authorise the city manager to sign the necessary contracts.
The DA then asked the Speaker for a 15-minute break.
When the DA councillors returned, they told the Speaker that they would walk out in protest. The remaining parties could not form a quorum, and the report could not be approved.
ANC chief whip Jabulani Mabone was not available for comment.
The ANC in Tshwane has also pushed for a government boulevard as part of the Re Kgabisa Tshwane (We are enhancing Tshwane) project, which, it is estimated, will cost some R11-billion over 25 years.
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