Newly elected Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela jumped ship and switched allegiances after he caught wind that the DA-led multiparty coalition was aiming to topple him from his position as speaker.
Makwarela, who is a Cope member, was part of the multi-party coalition that was formed by the DA, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, IFP, and ACDP in the City of Tshwane.
Sunday World can reveal that Makwarela warned his bosses at Cope that their multi-party coalition buddies had hatched a plot to oust him. He was immediately advised to switch allegiances.
It is understood that Cope leaders had back-to-back meetings with the ANC, EFF, and other smaller parties within the council to support Makwarela in his bid to become mayor of Tshwane after the embattled Randall Williams resigned as mayor.
“Makwarela and Cope played smart to get him elected as mayor. Makwarela was not willing to play to the gallery and fold his arms while waiting for the DA-led coalition to oust him, so he calculated his moves and told his bosses at Cope,” said an insider in Tshwane.
Another informant told Sunday World that the writing was on the wall for Cope to be kicked out of the DA-led coalition after Cope leader Dennis Bloem was removed from the WhatsApp group of the parties.
“DA-led coalition played dirty, hence they lost the Tshwane metro because they were ready to deal with Cope.
“They removed its leaders from the WhatsApp group…It was evidence enough that Cope was no longer needed in the DA-led coalition,” said the informant.
It is understood that on Tuesday, the council will elect the speaker, and insiders claim the DA-led coalition is pushing to have its own preferred candidate take over the office and aims to table a motion of no confidence against Makwarela and remove him as mayor.
Bloem confirmed to Sunday World that he was removed from the coalition’s WhatsApp group.
“Last Wednesday I was removed from the WhatsApp group after asking for the link to the Zoom meeting. Even our logo is removed from the statements sent by the multiparty coalition.
“Things are tense in that coalition,” said Bloem.
Makwarela did not respond to questions sent to him.
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