By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The City of Tshwane has failed to elect a new executive mayor as the deadline to pass the adjustment budget edges closer.
The metropolitan municipality has been given until 31 March by the National Treasury to pass the budget to avoid being placed under administration.
A special council sitting on Wednesday did not see the election of a mayor after councillors bickered about the legality of the presence of one Cope councillor.
Tshwane council Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana adjourned proceedings saying he was seeking legal advice on the presence of Cope member Thabang Sefanyetso.
Nzwanana indicated that he had received two “contradicting” letters from Cope pertaining to Sefanyetso’s withdrawal as a PR councillor.
“Having spoken to the relevant people, I made a decision that based on the highly requested information on Friday that I must seek legal advice and again today that is the route I’m going to take.
“I’m doing this because if I allow political issues in this council, they will keep on emerging and we won’t be able to proceed with the business of the day,” the speaker said.
The DA and ActionSA coalition have accused the ANC and the EFF of using concerns about the Cope member to delay the election of a new mayor because the numbers did not support an ANC/EFF alliance.