Pretoria - Outgoing Mayor Solly Msimanga must resign immediately and must not be allowed to serve an 11-day notice period before he vacates office.
This was a demand made by both the ANC and EFF during a heated council sitting at Sammy Marks Council Chamber.
Parties unanimously rejected notice by Msimanga that his resignation will take effect from February 11.
This was after council speaker Katlego Mathebe broke the news that Msimanga tendered his resignation on Thursday morning.
The letter was submitted to the Speaker's office at almost the same time as the ANC's motion of no confidence against Msimanga.
Councillors chanting songs inside Sammy Marks Council Chamber. Picture: Rapula Moatshe
ANC councillor Mapiti Matsena said Msimanga's notice to step down must not be equated with the resignation of any other councillor.
He accused Msimanga of undermining council by announcing his resignation before he could notify the speaker in writing.
Matsena proposed that the resignation must be presented to council in the form of a council report.
"The executive mayor can't resign at a press conference," he said.
MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Randall Williams, rejected Matsena's version, saying he misrepresented the law and rules in relation to the mayor's removal.
Matsena said: "I don't want to respond to councillor Randall he tries to please the mayor."
Councillor Terrence Mashigo asked the speaker to find out whether Msimanga didn't lie under oath when he said he would resign.
On January 18, Msimanga publicly announced that he would resign within the first two weeks in February to focus on his premiership election campaign for the DA in Gauteng.
Mashigo said: "As a public representative, you don't lie under oath. He must apologise to the people of Tshwane that he is a liar."
EFF councillor Benjamin Disoloane requested Msimanga "to do an honourable thing and go with immediate effect".
His call was supported by Lesego Makhubela that the resignation must be effective immediately.
"What does he want to do in 10 days," he asked.
Makhubela further criticised Msimanga for pulling on council "the Msholozi's type of resignation" credited to former President Jacob Zuma, who told the ANC that he wanted to stay in office for a certain period in order to introduce ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to international bodies.
"We are not accepting the date for resignation. We are saying Msimanga must resign effective immediately," he said.
Mathebe said she will seek legal guidance on the proposal and make a ruling on the matter later in the day.