TSHWANE – The African National Congress in Tshwane on Tuesday wished the incoming Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa well, saying his term would be tough owing to the mismanagement of previous mayor Solly Msimanga.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that such a decent, liberal gentleman Stevens Mokgalapa has to inherit unfortunately mayhem in this city, caused by his predecessor [Solly Msimanga] the poster boy of corruption. You are inheriting R5 billion in unauthorised expenditure. There is nothing decent that you are inheriting,” ANC Tshwane regional chairperson Kgosi Maepa told a special council meeting shortly after Mokgalapa’s election.
“In fact, you are inheriting a broken vehicle. With no wheels, no parts, no spare wheel, no windscreen. Brace yourself for a rough ride. You have invited the ANC [to work with you] but I don’t think you understand what you are inviting. We were wishing that perhaps you would talk about the terrible pernicious situation in our city … we don’t have lights in this city, robots don’t work, we have the sewer systems blockages. Your predecessor failed terribly to reach out to the people, to resolve their problems.”
The ANC said it will continue to expose the rot left by the Democratic Alliance’s Msimanga.
“We hope that the path you will walk is that of representing the people. If you start doing these tendencies that we have seen here, you must know that the ANC will rise like the sea and you will be wiped away,” Maepa cautioned Mokgalapa.
The DA’s Mokgalapa was on Tuesday elected new Mayor of Tshwane, after he was the only nominated member for the vacant post.
The post was vacated by Msimanga at the end of January.
Only the DA nominated a candidate – with the African National Congress, through Councillor Aaron Maluleka, indicating that it was not taking part in the election. The Economic Freedom Fighters didn’t nominate a candidate either.
EFF Tshwane regional chairperson Moafrika Mabongwana cautioned Mokgalapa to stay on the straight and narrow, respecting the will of the people of Tshwane.
“We want to send a stern warning that you must not appoint a mayoral committee of lazy people. You must not use your position to terrorise officials who differ with you. You must at all times act in the interests of the people of Tshwane, above your own interests,” said Mabongwana to applause from the EFF benches.