New masters crack the whip

New political players in Gauteng's big metro councils are ratcheting up the rhetoric, issuing threats of court action, withdrawal of coalition support and the release of damning forensic reports.

The election dust has hardly settled but Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Johannesburg are already becoming arenas of fierce contests over corruption, the privatisation of waste management utility Pikitup and the irregular appointment of ANC cadres as department heads.

In Johannesburg the opposition-led coalition government appears to be teetering on the brink after the EFF threatened to obliterate mayor Herman Mashaba's government unless he withdrew his plan to privatise Pikitup.

Mashaba told the Sunday Times: "My No1 priority is to break it up into seven pieces and give it to small businesses."

EFF regional secretary Silumko Mabona warned Mashaba not to go ahead with the plan unless he intended to destabilise the city.

"We call on the city to disengage from this silly performance that only aims to sell off Johannesburg in bits and pieces," said Mabona.

Yesterday Mashaba said a decision had not been taken on the Pikitup issue. He said he had still to engage with all stakeholders.

"At this early point in time it would be premature of me to pronounce any approach to sorting out the deep-rooted problems at Pikitup. We need to be very careful in the process we choose to follow because at the end of the day we want what is best for the people of Johannesburg," he said.

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga promised to act against the previous administration's councillors.

" ... I am sitting with reports that are starting to shine some light on some of the dealings that have been taking place.

"So, we understand what is happening. I have here five forensic reports that have been suppressed for the longest of time. Believe you me, we are coming. We are coming.

"If you think that everything was swept under the carpet you have another think coming. Some will change their suits into the orange uniform soon," said Msimanga.

Minutes after making his acceptance speech, Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina had to fend off threats of a court challenge.

DA caucus leader Ghaleb Cachalia threatened to take the metro to court if it continued to employ ANC councillors as heads of department, which he said was to appease those who had failed to return as members of council.

"We're fully aware that you have been appointing heads of department unlawfully to accommodate ANC councillors who did not make the list," Cachalia said.