By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tshwane Executive Mayor Cilliers Brink has dismissed calls to resign, saying that his administration is trying to save the city from insolvency and what he calls networks of corruption that are service to the ANC.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane has called for Brink to resign, alongside his coalition partners.
ANC Greater Tshwane Regional Secretary George Matjila said the list of failures and incompetence is a clear indication that Brink is clueless about his responsibilities.
Matjila further mentioned that the city has been identified by the Auditor-General as being on the brink of financial collapse and the warning of the Joburg Stock Exchange is further proof that Brink is collapsing the city.
It also comes in the week in which National Treasury has warned Tshwane of the possibility that the city could lose about R650 million after it failed to spend the grants during the 2023 / 2024 financial year.
Matjila said all capital projects are grant-funded, and this was supposed to be motivation to spend every allocated cent to improve people’s living conditions, but there’s no sense of urgency and care for the people of Tshwane.
ANC’s Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi has also weighed-in saying political intervention is inevitable in cash-strapped Tshwane.
Lesufi made the remarks at the conclusion of the ANC’s Provincial Executive Committee lekgotla held earlier this week.
Lesufi said Tshwane is one of the worst-performing metros in the country.
Tshwane DA spokesperson Kwena Moloto says the City Manager is in the process of finalising their response to National Treasury.
“The City Manager has until next week to respond to National Treasury in order to detail the planned measures to ensure the full utilization of the grant funding before the financial year concludes in June 2024. These measures have been adopted by Council,” says Moloto.
“It is also important to highlight that Tshwane was not the only Municipality to receive such a letter from National Treasury. In Gauteng, the Cities of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni both received similar letters.
“However, conveniently for Premier Lesufi and the ANC, the only letter to be leaked was Tshwane’s. The campaign season is upon us and the ANC’s desperation can be seen through their attempts for cheap political point scoring.
“It is true that Tshwane has underspent several grants so far in this financial year. However, this is as a result of the introduction of tighter controls in order to curb corruption and fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the Municipality.”