Note to Editors: Please find an English soundbite by Cllr Kwena Moloto here, and the remarks delivered by MMC for Finances in the City of Tshwane, Jacqui Uys here
The recent announcement by the ANC in Tshwane regarding a Motion of No Confidence (MONC) against Executive Mayor Cilliers Brink has nothing to do with service delivery and everything to do with ANC financial interests.
Over the past few years, the Multi-Party Government has made significant strides in implementing tighter financial controls in Tshwane’s supply chain management processes to curb corruption. The most recent example is the changes to the Waste Collection tender, which replaced 60% of the previous waste removal contractors. The DA has never been more certain that this tender is corruption-free.
However, this tender has been a feeding trough for ANC-aligned businesses for years, so the DA anticipated resistance. This resistance manifested in a phone call from ANC Tshwane Regional Secretary, George Matjila, to MMC of Finance Jacqui Uys on Tuesday, 16 July.
During the call, Mr. Matjila expressed his unhappiness with the changes to the Waste Collection tender and stated that the ANC refused to be “undermined” and would be bringing a MONC against Mayor Cilliers Brink.
On Wednesday, 17 July, MMC Uys opened a case at Groenkloof Police Station against Mr. Matjila for contravening the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act. This was in relation to Mr. Matjila’s threat of a MONC due to the Waste Collection tender changes. True to his word, 48 hours later, Mr. Matjila announced the MONC against Cilliers Brink.
This motion of no confidence (MONC) is not about service delivery but about the ANC retaliating against the DA for cutting off their income sources. George Matjila’s MONC threat over the new Waste tender aligns with the mobilization of disqualified waste contractors, indicating a coordinated effort. Unfortunately we’ve already seen violence erupt in Mamelodi and Bronkhorstspruit by contractors with similar interests to Matjila.
The DA will not back down in this fight to build a capital city that works for all its people. We are confident that this MONC will fail. Tshwane is not perfect, but by most metrics, things are improving in the capital city. This is evident from the recent SALGA awards, where Tshwane won awards for Reducing Unauthorised, Irregular, and Wasteful Expenditure, as well as Most Improved Revenue Collection and Debt Management. This contrasts with Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg, which are deteriorating at an alarming rate due to mismanagement and corruption.
The ANC in Tshwane has once again acted against the national mood. Many South Africans would have found comfort in President Ramaphosa words at the opening of Parliament that creating stability in local government was at the core of the Government of National Unity’s mandate. However, Ramaposha’s words ring hollow in Tshwane where the organisation which he leads attempts to remove the DA-led coalition in Tshwane for successfully fighting corruption. We will stand firm in our principles and in our mission to build a capital city that works for all of its people.