Maile slams DA’s ‘political tricks’ over Tshwane council dissolution

The Constitutional Court this week found last year’s decision by the provincial executive council, led by Maile, to dissolve the capital’s council was unlawful. 

The decision was taken in March 2020 following political deadlock and walk-outs by ANC and EFF during council meetings. 

The DA subsequently challenged the decision in court.

The majority judgment found that the executive committee acted beyond its legal powers when it dissolved the council but two other judgments found the decision was well within means. 

But Maile said on Wednesday the official opposition party has used the litigation as a tool to fight political battles.

“The historical background that led to the EXCO decision to dissolve the Municipal Council of the City of Tshwane is well established and will, for the sake of convenience, not be repeated here, safe to once again patently note that the dysfunctionality, over many months, which paralysed the Municipal Council to the point it was unable to fulfil its executive obligations ,” said Maile at a press briefing in Sandton on Wednesday. 

“It is therefore worrying and disconcerting that opponents of the Provincial Government are now deliberately spewing a false narrative by going on various public platforms to create the impression that the Con Court has issued only one “unanimous judgment” that found the dissolution decision of EXCO unlawful. This is completely devoid of any truth and should be rejected,” he added.

Maile maintains the decision at the time was fitting for the circumstances in the council.

“It is undisputed that all the Courts that dealt with this case accepted that the municipal council was dysfunctional and that despite attempts by the provincial government to intervene by taking the appropriate steps to remedy the situation, the dysfunctionality continued unabated.”

The city was placed under administration for several months during the spat between parties and local government.

The DA has since accused the administrators of running the capital into the ground, leaving a deficit of over R4 billion.

Maile denied these claims.

“In closing, we would like to categorically refute and dismiss the constant, unfounded attacks on the competency and integrity of the team of Administrators deployed in Tshwane for the duration of the intervention. 

“Despite the mischievous insinuations and conjecture, they managed the finances of the municipality in a responsible, reasonable, and above reproach manner, with large creditors such as Eskom and Rand Water having been paid in full during the period in which they ran the municipality, all other creditors having been paid within 30 days and the repayment of loans and payments being up to date. 

“The debtors and creditors book of the municipality were impeccably managed, and they left the municipality in a sound financial position, contrary to the fallacious narrative that we have seen being continuously promulgated,” he added. 

Watch Maile below:

ALSO READ: