DA MP Cilliers Brink has been selected as a mayoral candidate in Tshwane following Randall Williams resignation, the multi-party coalition in the city has confirmed.
This after Murunwa Makwarela, speaker of the Tshwane council, announced on Tuesday that the municipality is preparing to elect a new mayor.
When he resigned on February 13, Williams indicated that he wanted to ensure stability in the City of Tshwane. He also raised concerns about political instability in the cities of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, noting that he did not want that to spill over to Tshwane.
His resignation was calculated to take effect from midnight on that day, however, a few hours later Williams tendered an amended resignation letter in which he said he would only vacate the office by February 28, contending that his extended stay would ensure that the “core work” of the city continued uninterrupted.
Makwarela said after the two letters sparked controversy and confusion, his office sought legal advice, which established that the former mayor’s initial resignation letter remains valid and is legally binding.
The speaker further explained that the legal opinion concluded that the second resignation letter was unlawful.
In a late-evening statement on Tuesday, the multi-party coalition government said it has engaged in obligatory consultations with its partners and has come to a conclusion that it is the prerogative of the DA to occupy the position of mayor again.
“The qualification of support related to the incoming mayor-elect related to the need to see turnarounds in specific issues like the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant, as well as pressing service delivery issues impacting communities in Hammanskraal, Soshanguve and Mamelodi to name a few,” the coalition said.
“Ultimately, after ventilating these issues of concern, the multi-party coalition expressed its support for Brink as the candidate who will receive our collective support. The leadership of all political parties in the coalition, the collective of which constitutes a majority in council, resolved to support Brink’s election.
“The focus of the meeting shifted swiftly to address the election of the new mayor and the need to stabilise the coalition government to the benefit of service delivery to the residents of Tshwane.”
The new mayor will be elected on Tuesday next week.
Also read: Randall Williams’ amended resignation letter ‘not valid’
Tshwane mayor resigns to ensure stability in multi-party coalition
To read more political news and views, click here.
Competition:
To enter details to stand a chance to win tickets to Podcast and Chill with Black Coffee, please click here:
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
