EFF welcomes Msimanga resignation, as ANC threatens more revelations

Msimanga made the announcement on in Johannesburg on Friday, saying it will allow him to focus on his bid to become Gauteng premier after this year’s elections.

The EFF, who voted to install Msimanga as mayor before the relationship went sour, described his as a “breath of fresh air for Tshwane”.

The party’s chairperson in Tshwane, Moafrika Mabongwana, says it’s no secret that the EFF wanted to remove Msimanga as mayor.  

"We are happy that now the mayor is gone and its a breath of fresh air in Tshwane. It's actually good riddance to us.

"We are hoping that the new mayor that's going to come and walk in his footsteps is going to be a mayor who gives services to our people, as that is the task of a mayor.”

He adds that the EFF is not concerned about which party a mayor belongs to, as long as that person delivers services to the residents of the city. 

"We can have a mayor from any party as long as that mayor is equal to the task we got no problem. The national leadership of  EFF has indicated that we are going to take one of the municipalities and assume power then. " 

The ANC in Tshwane says Msimanga resignation is not unexpected given the myriad of allegations he has faced over the past couple of months, including allegations of corruption and the hiring of unqualified staff in his office.  

The party caucus spokesperson Lesego Makhubela says Msimanga is running away.

"The R12 billion GladAfrica scandal is on top of the list. There is another scandal that we are bringing which is bigger than the R12 billion we spoke about, he knows there is an impending auditor-general report that is coming, there are a number of things that we will be revealing," says Makhubela. 

Makhubela believes these revelations will force the DA to remove Msimanga as its candidate for Gauteng premier.

"By the end of next week, the DA will withdraw him as a premier candidate of the DA, that I can promise you. After the press conferences that we will be doing to detail why his running away. 

"They (DA) will even remove his membership.

Political analyst  Levy Ndou says Msimanga registration gives the EFF another chance to determine who will be mayor, adding that both the DA and the ANC will have to rely on the smaller parties in the Tshwane council.

"Both the DA and ANC don't have the majority in the city, then they will have to rely on the smaller parties it's up to the EFF as to who is suppose to lead, " says Ndou 

Ndou added the EFF needs to reassess how they move to give the DA mayoral power has been received by the people of Tshwane.