Pretoria - Barely a week after the installation of Tshwane’s mayoral committee, the EFF is calling for Mayor Randall Williams to reshuffle it on the basis that it is “male-white dominated” and does not reflect “the people of Tshwane who are predominantly African and female”.
Party regional chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu has again expressed dismay at the composition of the committee, made up of one black male, two black females, one white female and five white males.
On face value, Ramabodu said, the committee gave the impression that “the administration has no space for women to thrive and provide the much-needed leadership required to bring development in our communities”.
He said the committee’s composition was “reminiscent of the pre-democratic dispensation that considered women second-class citizens and superfluous incumbents in positions of responsibility and leadership in society”.
“In the era of women’s advancement and capacitation in the social, political and economic space, the appointment of the ’boys choir’ by the administration is retrogressive to say the least,” he said.
According to him, the committee is far too detached from the demographic configuration of the municipality, which “comprised approximately 75% African and 20% white population”.
He said the committee did not inspire a leadership that can optimally advance the agenda of the African community.
“Inevitably, the administration will continue to advance the agenda of the affluent areas at the expense of disadvantaged communities,” Ramabodu said.
During last week’s announcement of the committee, Williams defended his decision, saying the appointment of MMCs was based on merit.
He said: “I am pleased to have a team of individuals that are fit and ready to serve the people of Tshwane. This team has been chosen after careful consideration, as we take these appointments very seriously. We will need to hit the ground running as there is much work to be done. Furthermore, I would like to assure our residents that I will hold the team to the highest standards. This administration is truly committed to the principles of clean governance and ensuring quality service delivery.”
Ramabodu said: “The insinuation by the administration that the appointment of this white male-dominated mayoral committee is based on merit is relatively distasteful. There is a high number of female public representatives in the municipal council capable of taking the municipality to greater heights, and ensuring that services are delivered optimally to our communities.”
The EFF has demanded an immediate reshuffle to ensure that the composition of the mayoral committee was “a true reflection of the people of Tshwane who are predominantly African and female”.
“The EFF will ensure that under-privileged communities are not deprived of the services that they need to sustain their lives,” Ramabodu said.
Committee members are Alderman Peter Sutton (DA) as Finance MMC and Leader of Executive Business, Abel Tau of ActionSA (Human Settlements), Alderman Grandi Theunissen of FF Plus (Community Safety), Dikeledi Selowa (DA) in Roads and Transport, Andre le Roux of ActionSA (Economic Development and Spatial Planning) and Rina Marx of FF Plus in Health.
Peggy de Bruin (ActionSA) is the MMC for Social Development and Community Services, while
Corporate and Shared Services is headed by Kingsley Wakelin of the DA and Utility Services is under Phillip Nel (DA).
Pretoria News