Pretoria - The hosting of a special council sitting in Tshwane to remove Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and council Speaker Katlego Mathebe is in the balance after the acting city manager Makgorometje Makgata withdrew himself from presiding over it.
DA deputy chief whip in Tshwane council Mpho Mehlape-Zimu told the Pretoria News that Makgata made a U-turn on the commitment he made to take charge of the meeting planned for 2pm today at Tshwane House Council Chamber.
Last night Makgata agreed to convene the meeting after Mathebe refused to host it, citing that both the EFF and ANC councillors faked their signatures appended on the petition submitted to her office.
The petition requested Mathebe to convene a special meeting for the purpose of removing Mokgalapa, Mathebe, acting Speaker Zweli Khumalo and chair of chairs Gert Pretorious.
Part of the agenda would also look at the dissolution of all Section 79 oversight committees.
Mehlape-Zimu said Makgata backed down on his intention to host sitting on Wednesday morning.
"I think something else what you might not have heard, that he (Makgata) withdrew his memo of saying he is convening a council because he understands that it would be wrong.
He doesn't have a jurisdiction to do so. There is currently a Speaker which is Katlego Mathebe and until such time that there is no Speaker then something else will have to come into play," she said.
Tiyiselani Babane, the strategic executive in the office of the Speaker, confirmed that Makgata withdrew himself from the meeting.
Mehlape-Zimu said: "The only time the city manager is allowed to convene a meeting is after the municipal elections. Unless there was a municipal election happening before yesterday he has no right to preside over the meeting."
She said there was still no notice of the meeting shared with all councillors.
"Even if there was a notice we (DA councillors) would not attend a meeting because it is presided over and convened by the wrong person," she said.
Makgata's decision to withdraw from hosting the sitting came after lawyers representing the DA and all its councillors in Tshwane threatened to take him to court should he go ahead with the meeting.
Lawyers warned that any attempt to convene a meeting would be unlawful and illegal.
"We shall seek an adverse costs order against you personally for your conduct should it be necessary to approach court due to your illegal conduct," they said.