Maile on Tshwane: DA unhappiness not my concern

Maile on Tshwane: DA unhappiness not my concern

Gauteng Cooperative Governance MEC Lebogang Maile says he Is unconcerned about the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) unhappiness about the dissolution of Tshwane council. 

Lebogang Maile

Maile addressed Tshwane Metro management on his decision to dissolve the municipal council on Saturday.


The municipality is now without leaders and a council following weeks of political tussles over political control of the capital.


Premier David Makhura this week said the government had no choice but to dissolve council and place it under administration after it failed to find common ground with political parties.


However, the DA believes Makhura’s move is illegal and has threatened legal action. 


Maile said council will remain in place for the next 14 days until the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and Minister of Cooperative Governance rubberstamp the decision.


He said the decision to dissolve council wasn't only based on the current political turmoil, but go back as far as Solly Msimanga’ tenure as mayor in 2016.


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He added that the meeting with the managers was not to lobby them to pick sides but rather to ensure that services are still delivered.


"This is a battle of politicians and not civil servants.


"We are not here to lobby or ask you to pick sides. We asking that you come here every day and serve the people of Tshwane."


Maile said his job is to ensure that the residents of Tshwane receive service delivery.


"I'm sure they (the DA) are not happy but like we said the other day is that our intention is not to make them happy, our intention is to ensure service delivery and that there is stability and that we adhere to good governance.


"Their lawyers have written us a letter asking us for minutes when we took the decision and asking us few other questions. And we have said when we annouced that we are ready to meet them in court," Maile added.


Maile advised the DA to rather channelled its resources into the 2021 local elections.


"And we will also advise them to use those resources for elections because elections are costly. So instead of wasting time going to court with their lawyers, I want to advise them to use those resources for elections.


"They will need posters, they will need t-shirts and all other things that come with elections.”

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