By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
City of Tshwane council speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela has been elected the new executive mayor of the metropolitan municipality.
Makwarela, received 112 votes beating DA councillor Cilliers Brink who was supported by the DA and coalition partners. Brink received 101 votes.
Makwarela’s name was nominated by the African Transformation Movement, which had caucused with the EFF and the ANC. He is a Cope member and his party is still viewed as a member of the DA coalition.
The election was held by secret ballot. It was held following the resignation of DA councillor Randall Williams earlier this month.
The election of Makwarela stunned some present in the council chambers. Heading into the meeting, the DA and its coalition partners – the ACDP, Freedom Front Plus, Cope and ActionSA – were confident of winning a majority.
Last week, the DA and its coalition partners had a fallout with Makwarela accusing him of “jumping ship” to join forces with the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Tshwane.
The political parties; which also include Cope, ActionSA, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and FF Plus, threatened to table a motion of no confidence in Makwarela after he did not allow an urgent special council meeting to elect a new mayor.
They further threatened legal action against Makwarela to compel him to convene a council sitting.