The city has been facing challenges for months which were driven by political wrangling between the EFF, DA and the ANC.
Pretoria – Gauteng Premier David Makhura has announced that the Tshwane Municipality will be placed under administration.
Makhura made the announcement on Thursday morning during a media briefing on the state of the municipality.
Makhura said the executive council for the province had met on Wednesday to assess the state of Tshwane municipality. It was then decided to invoke Section 139 of the Constitution which would place the city under administration.
The city has been facing challenges for months which were driven by political wrangling between the EFF, DA and the ANC.
The city was being run through a coalition between the DA and the EFF and smaller political parties. However, over the past couple of months there has been very little agreement on legislative matters. No party has a majority in the city.
The city currently has no mayor or municipal manager.
Makhura’s announcement means the city will now go into by-elections within 90 days.
The DA’s interim leader John Steenhuisen said in a statement on Wednesday that his party was committed to leading the city but it was failed by political issues.
“A functioning government in the Metro requires some form of cooperation, whether this is through a minority government or a coalition agreement. And to establish this cooperation requires council meetings attended by at least 108 of the 214 members.
“Unfortunately, the second and third biggest parties in the Metro have displayed no political will to reach an agreement on such a cooperation, and this has left the city rudderless and functioning on autopilot. This impasse, brought on by the continuous sabotage of council meetings by the ANC, cannot continue. It is imperative that we find a way forward soon, so that the people of Tshwane do not suffer,” he said.
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