By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tshwane mayor Randall Williams has resigned with immediate effect, saying his move will ensure that there is stability in Tshwane’s multi-party coalition.
In a statement released on Monday, Williams said, “I resign today because I believe it is in the best interest for continued stability of the coalition in the city. Being executive mayor of the capital city has not been without its difficulties but I have embraced every challenge that has come my way in the execution of my duties, all of which have allowed my own personal development,” said Williams.
“I resign today not in frustration, resentment or anger but in peace, knowing that I have been given an incredible opportunity and I have fulfilled my duties to the best of my abilities.”
Williams said that when he was elected as mayor at the end of October 2020, the city was in “an incredibly challenging position”.
“We had just removed the ANC administrators who had mismanaged the city and our country was still in a state of Covid-19 lockdown. Having inherited a R4 billion deficit at the time, my immediate goal was to stabilise the city’s finances. At that point, I was leading a DA minority government and, within a year, we would have the local government elections. Thus there was immense pressure to guide the city to those elections and ensure stability in the government which was incredibly difficult,” he said.
Campaigning and ensuring proper governance of the city is very challenging but I was able to do this with a good team and clear focus on the tasks ahead with our ten-point service delivery plan. In November 2021, I was once again elected as the executive mayor of Tshwane, this time at the head of the city’s first multiparty coalition government.”
Williams faced calls by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters for his resignation after an Auditor-General’s report flagged more than R10 billion of irregular expenditure in the city.
On 2 February the City of Tshwane published the financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2022 on Sens, despite the financial statements having had adverse opinion from Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke, indicating that they were not a true reflection of the city’s financial affairs.
Further, chair of the independent audit and performance committee Robert Cameron-Ellis had also advised during a council meeting days earlier, that the statements would be more useful for stakeholders if accompanied by the correct information.
The official opposition Democratic Alliance, of which Williams is a member, stated that it may deploy him in a new role.
The DA Federal leader John Steenhuisen thanked Williams for the dedication and commitment to improving the levels of service delivery for all of Tshwane’s residents. “At times the challenges seemed insurmountable, but he never took his hands off the wheel. That is the embodiment of the DA promise to those who live in metros and municipalities where the DA governs”.
The Gauteng Provincial Party leader, Solly Msimanga also praised Williams for his work in putting the needs of the residents first in an often turbulent political environment. “The fact that he is prepared to stand down in order to ensure stability in the Metro speaks volumes of his commitment to the residents as well.