The battle for the capital city’s top job is under way at the chambers on Tuesday as councillors wrestle for power for the third time this month.
The DA has remained firm in its support for ex-parliamentarian Cilliers Brink, who was brought in to take up the post in Tshwane, but lost to former mayor Murunwa Makwarela, albeit a short-lived tenure.
As expected, a lone-seat member is tipped to go head-to-head with Brink, with the help of the EFF and ANC voting bloc.
During Tuesday’s council proceedings, COPE's Ofentse Moalusi was sworn in as a councillor. He replaced COPE councillor Justice Sefanyetso, who replaced Makwarela.
Sefanyetso was removed as a councillor by his party after he was accused of having two identity numbers and a criminal record.
Previously, indicators pointed to the PAC’s Molwantwa Tshabadi as next in line to contest Brink as supported by the ANC/EFF bloc. However, delays in the consecutive adjourning of the meetings have led to further negotiations and a change of mind.
Race for Tshwane’s top job as DA’s Brink goes head-to-head with COPE’s lone-seat member
Image: Veli Nhlapo
The battle for the capital city’s top job is under way at the chambers on Tuesday as councillors wrestle for power for the third time this month.
The DA has remained firm in its support for ex-parliamentarian Cilliers Brink, who was brought in to take up the post in Tshwane, but lost to former mayor Murunwa Makwarela, albeit a short-lived tenure.
As expected, a lone-seat member is tipped to go head-to-head with Brink, with the help of the EFF and ANC voting bloc.
During Tuesday’s council proceedings, COPE's Ofentse Moalusi was sworn in as a councillor. He replaced COPE councillor Justice Sefanyetso, who replaced Makwarela.
Sefanyetso was removed as a councillor by his party after he was accused of having two identity numbers and a criminal record.
Previously, indicators pointed to the PAC’s Molwantwa Tshabadi as next in line to contest Brink as supported by the ANC/EFF bloc. However, delays in the consecutive adjourning of the meetings have led to further negotiations and a change of mind.
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The unwavering minority party support forms part of the ANC and EFF’s plan to reclaim Gauteng metros from DA control with the help of other minority parties.
This is part of a trend that started in Joburg with the election of COPE’s Colleen Makhubele as speaker and Al-Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad as mayor.
The trend has taken root in Tshwane after the ANC and its alliance won the first round of the battle, when ATM’s Mncedi Ndzwanana beat the DA multiparty coalition in the election of speaker.
Despite the numerous caucus breaks that have delayed Tuesday’s council meeting, there is one agenda item: the election of a mayor.
The DA multiparty coalition boasts 108 seats, while the ANC/EFF/minority party bloc comes in with 105 councillors.
It remains unclear which grouping will emerge victorious as the voting has not always gone according to coalition groupings. However, it can be confirmed that DA’s Brink and COPE's Moalusi will appear on the ballot.
Speaker Ndzwanana announced that voting would take place at 3pm. As things stand, it seems likely Tshwane will have a mayor at the end of Tuesday.
TimesLIVE
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