By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) has accused the DA of regressing service delivery progress in the City of Tshwane made by the party before it lost power in the metro in 2016.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula, who will be leading the march under the banner #BuyaTshwane people’s campaign, lamented the state of service delivery and governance by the DA in Tshwane during a media briefing on Wednesday.
“The DA always claims that where they govern, they govern better. But Tshwane is a glaring example that it is not valid. They (the DA) have not done what they have claimed they would do for the City of Tshwane,” he said.
He added that in the seven years it has been leading the coalition government in Tshwane, the DA has been plagued by one scandal after another.
“Corruption, maladministration and looting have been the hallmark of the DA-led coalitions that have led Tshwane over the past seven years,” Mbalula said.
Tshwane is without a mayor after the resignation of former Cope councillor Murunwa Makwarela. Despite having only one seat in the council, he was propelled to the mayorship by the ANC and the EFF, but resigned after he faked a court document declaring his rehabilitation from insolvency.
TMPD Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said officers are prepared for the march on Friday.
“This is not the first time we are hosting a march with the same capacity or more and there were no incidents. We are not only going to police this march as TMPD, we have assistance from the Saps.
“We are warning the crime elements, if they might be thinking of using this march to commit crime, they should retrain themselves and not get into that particular march because we will be there and we will be ready,” Mahamba said.
He said marchers will gather from 9am at the Old Putco Depot, corner Struben Road and Es’kia Mphahlele Drive Pretoria.
“From the gathering point, marchers will proceed on Struben Road, turn right onto Sophie De Bruyn Street, turn left onto Madiba Street, proceed on Madiba Street until they reach the Tshwane House between Sisulu Street and Lilian Ngoyi Street.
Mahamba said marches are expected to disperse from the Tshwane House at 2pm after a memorandum is handed over.