By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Congress of the People (Cope) in Tshwane is hoping the third time’s a charm with its new executive mayoral candidate.
The City of Tshwane has confirmed that the council has at least four vacancies for councillors.
“Having considered all the developments which occurred during last week’s council meetings, the City Manager of Tshwane, Johann Mettler, has written to the Gauteng Provincial Officer of the Independent Electoral Commission, informing him of the declaration of four vacancies for Proportional Representative Councillors,” the municipality’s spokesperson Selby Bokaba said on Monday.
The vacancies come after the expulsion of three ActionSA councillors accused of voting against party line in the election of mayor Murunwa Makwarela earlier this month.
The other seat became vacant following the resignation of Cope councillor and mayor Makwarela amid an insolvency scandal.
The party announced on Monday that it had approved candidate Ofentse Moalusi for the role.
Cope’s second candidate, Thabang Sefanyetso, was found to possess two ID documents and was found to have a criminal record.
According to the party, Moalusi is an entrepreneur with 23 years of experience in private and public sectors.
The council is expected to elect a new mayor on Wednesday after the DA-led coalition walked out of chambers on Friday.
The multi-party coalition left council after speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana refused to remove two former ActionSA councillors from proceedings following their expulsion on Friday.