Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga calls on DA and EFF to help oust city manager Moeketsi Mosola as their fallout had resulted in the deterioration of the administration’s performance

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has asked for political intervention from his party and the EFF in his bid to  suspend or fire city manager Moeketsi Mosola.

Mosola was appointed to the permanent position of city manager early in 2017. Msimanga then defended the appointment after the ANC raised issue with his appointment.

Msimanga’s plea to the DA’s national leadership and its provincial structures comes amid an ongoing spat with Mosola, who is being investigated in relation to an open-ended contract with engineering consultants GladAfrica.

It is understood that the DA has yet to respond to Msimanga’s e-mail which was sent to DA leader Mmusi Maimane, federal executive chairman James Selfe, Gauteng leader John Moodey and Gauteng provincial chairman Mike Moriarty early in November.

The investigation was approved by the council in September, but Mosola was not suspended pending its outcome, despite a warning by Msimanga in a confidential report, that his presence would be detrimental to the stability of the municipality.

Mosola succeeded in getting an interim report on the investigation barred from being tabled in council last month after he took the matter to the Labour Court.

Msimanga is the DA’s premier candidate for Gauteng and the party hopes to install him as premier following the 2019 national elections.

He was elected mayor following the 2016 local government elections after a coalition was formed in the metro with the Freedom Front Plus, the African Christian Democratic Party and Congress of the People (COPE). The EFF, which has voted with the coalition on an issue to issue basis, was crucial in his election, as the party acts as kingmaker in the metro.

The EFF, however, recently tabled a motion of no confidence in Msimanga, which was disallowed by the council’s speaker after it did not adhere to all the technical requirements. The party did not support Mosola’s suspension when  Msimanga asked for it in the initial council meeting. 

In his e-mail Msimanga detailed the effects on the city’s administration of the fallout with the city manager.

He said the fallout had resulted in  the deterioration of the administration’s performance over the past financial year. This was despite, the fact that the DA had campaigned on a ticket of bringing better services to residents, he said.

“As things stand, I for one don’t feel that we can continue working together with Mosola going forward,” Msimanga said.  

He then asked that a discussion be held at a national level with all of the coalition partners and the EFF to consider suspending or releasing Mosola.

“I have tried working with him, despite everything, but failed. I cannot continue to see things deteriorate the way they are. It’s either this man goes or I go,” he said.    

Meanwhile the ANC's legal challenge of the Tshwane metro’s refusal to use a secret ballot in the vote of no confidence against Msimanga was heard in the high court in Pretoria on Monday. It was expected to continue on Tuesday.