The ANC in Tshwane has vowed to fight tooth and nail against the city mayor's decision to suspend metro police chief Steven Ngobeni.
Mayor Solly Msimanga told Radio 702 on Friday that he had stripped the metro police chief Steven Ngubeni of his authority. He accused Ngobeni of failing to act against ANC councillors who disrupted the state of the capital address on Thursday.
Msimanga reportedly said he has referred the matter to council for a final decision to suspend Ngobeni. But the ANC has come out guns blazing against this move.
"We'll oppose that particular move," Mapiti Matsena, the ANC's leader in the council, told Sowetan yesterday.
"What [Msimanga] is doing, if he has suspended Ngobeni, is unlawful. It's only council that can suspend him.
"Ngobeni reports directly to the city manager. The regulations on senior officials who report directly to the city manager are very clear that . council must first take the decision and then there must be an investigation," said Matsena.
He added that there was not even a basis for police to remove the ANC councillors.
"We were within the rules and orders of council."
"The council's rules do not even allow police to enter council chambers and remove councillors, Matsena insisted.
"Msimanga called SAPS to come and remove us. We had a discussion with the commander there, who told us the law does not allow them to [remove councillors]," said Matsena.
"The SAPS indicated they can't be instructed by a civilian to act on a particular issue. They can only be instructed by the national commissioner. They cited the issue of Marikana.
"The same applies to Ngobeni, [according to] what I heard. When the SAPS 'said, no we cannot remove the ANC councillors', Msimanga instructed Ngubeni to remove us. Ngobeni said 'I'm also a police man'.
"I didn't speak to Ngobeni but I heard he wants to take them to court. Obviously he's going to win that case," Matsena added.
"But in council we're going to oppose it because they want to bring the old type of policing . to deal with issues that can be resolved politically."
Moeketsi Mosola, the city manager, denied Ngobeni has been stripped of his powers.
"I am not aware of any intention to remove his delegated powers," Mosola said. "Only the official Tshwane... city council sitting has the authority to suspend the chief of police... "
Mayor initiates police chief's suspension
The ANC in Tshwane has vowed to fight tooth and nail against the city mayor's decision to suspend metro police chief Steven Ngobeni.
Mayor Solly Msimanga told Radio 702 on Friday that he had stripped the metro police chief Steven Ngubeni of his authority. He accused Ngobeni of failing to act against ANC councillors who disrupted the state of the capital address on Thursday.
Msimanga reportedly said he has referred the matter to council for a final decision to suspend Ngobeni. But the ANC has come out guns blazing against this move.
"We'll oppose that particular move," Mapiti Matsena, the ANC's leader in the council, told Sowetan yesterday.
"What [Msimanga] is doing, if he has suspended Ngobeni, is unlawful. It's only council that can suspend him.
"Ngobeni reports directly to the city manager. The regulations on senior officials who report directly to the city manager are very clear that . council must first take the decision and then there must be an investigation," said Matsena.
He added that there was not even a basis for police to remove the ANC councillors.
"We were within the rules and orders of council."
"The council's rules do not even allow police to enter council chambers and remove councillors, Matsena insisted.
"Msimanga called SAPS to come and remove us. We had a discussion with the commander there, who told us the law does not allow them to [remove councillors]," said Matsena.
"The SAPS indicated they can't be instructed by a civilian to act on a particular issue. They can only be instructed by the national commissioner. They cited the issue of Marikana.
"The same applies to Ngobeni, [according to] what I heard. When the SAPS 'said, no we cannot remove the ANC councillors', Msimanga instructed Ngubeni to remove us. Ngobeni said 'I'm also a police man'.
"I didn't speak to Ngobeni but I heard he wants to take them to court. Obviously he's going to win that case," Matsena added.
"But in council we're going to oppose it because they want to bring the old type of policing . to deal with issues that can be resolved politically."
Moeketsi Mosola, the city manager, denied Ngobeni has been stripped of his powers.
"I am not aware of any intention to remove his delegated powers," Mosola said. "Only the official Tshwane... city council sitting has the authority to suspend the chief of police... "
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