Tshwane municipality dissolved 'for the sake of its residents'

Gauteng premier David Makhura has placed the capital city of Tshwane under administration.

“Gauteng province is taking this drastic step in the best interest of the people of Tshwane. All necessary steps in terms of the constitution will be followed to give effect to the intervention,” he announced on Thursday.

“This [placing the municipality under administration] means that the Tshwane municipal council is dissolved and an administrator will be appointed to run the municipality until a new council is elected within 90 days,” said Makhura.

He said the decision was taken during a provincial cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Tshwane has been leaderless after the resignation of executive mayor Stevens Mokgalapa of the DA. The council has failed on numerous occasions to appoint a successor because of walkouts by the ANC, the largest opposition in Tshwane, and the EFF. The walkouts have also stalled efforts to replace the city manager.

Makhura said the decision by his government was informed by mismanagement of the municipality. He said this included disregard of the Municipal Finance Management Act regarding procurement, citing the Glad Africa and Aurecon tenders.

In a statement after the briefing, the Gauteng provincial government said: “The city of Tshwane has been deteriorating rapidly and is evidently on the decline. Residents are suffering, while political parties are fighting in council and in the courts.”

“ ... The provincial government has a constitutional responsibility and obligation to the residents of Tshwane to create stability and ascertain continuity of service delivery.”