Xed out: The plan by the Democratic Alliance’s Cilliers Brink for the Tshwane metro election has backfired. Photo: Deon Raath/Gallo Images
The Democratic Alliance-led coalition emerged victorious in the City of Tshwane mayoral election on Tuesday evening as its candidate, Cilliers Brink, came out on top.
Brink got 109 council votes against People’s Congress candidate Ofentse Moalusi, who got 102.
In his confirmation speech as mayor, Brink thanked councilors for their confidence in him and said nothing that has happened in the three tumultuous weeks the metro has been through will take away the honor of serving the people of Tshwane.
Brink’s first attempt to become mayor of Tshwane was thwarted in February by the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters, with some DA councilors themselves turning rogue and voting for the opposition. Then the soon-to-be-elected mayor, Murunwa Makwarela, was found to be bankrupt and ineligible to be a member of the council.
Makwarela was deregistered by the Electoral Commission of South Africa but later produced a certificate of rehabilitation, which led to his reinstatement. An investigation into the authenticity of the certificate found it to be a fraud and Makwarela resigned as mayor.
With Tshwane council once again left without a mayor, the DA-led coalition terminated the membership of councilors found to be delinquent, clearing the way for Brink’s election.
Speaking on the matter, Brink said he hoped the council had reached a turning point and that the people of Tshwane looked to the council to resolve their differences in an orderly manner.
“No matter how little debate we have in this council, it will not be acceptable for us to threaten violence. If our elected representatives are like that, it will destroy the trust we have with ordinary people, and the trust ordinary people have in our democracy,” he said.
“Let’s leave this culture now. That’s why I offer cooperation to all political parties in this council. But mainly the opposition did not vote for me.
“There may be a time for war, but there is also a time for deliberation, a serious debate for empathy and cooperation. Each of us, no matter how hot our politics, should love our city and country more than we hate them.
He said the parties in the coalition may have different policies or personalities, but what binds the council together is stronger than what divides its members, Brink said, adding: “In that sense, we are like South Africans. People in South Africa and our capital we have more in common, common interests, shared values, than what separates us.
Brink said he was convinced that Tshwane councilors wanted to build a working capital, with a clean and effective administration, free from corruption, securing the supply of basic services and value for rates, rates and fees paid by residents.
“We want to build a capital that can be used by all its people, that can improve the lives of the poor and create opportunities for people to advance in life. We know in our hearts that this city will only be a good place for anyone, if it is a place where good for all of us. the end is not two separate cities,” he said.
Brink said Tshwane should avoid the fate of other municipalities that have stumbled, and the council should regain control of the city’s finances and bring spending in line with what it can collect.
“This is an important task, as it responds to the findings of the auditor general and rebuilds financial controls that have been damaged or that did not exist. In the past three years, the city has faced a combination of factors that have had a significant impact on our finances, and on the financial recovery that has been we started,” he said.
He said the city should return to its mandate of local government and fulfill its constitutional mandate. This includes reducing dependence on Eskom.
“If we don’t make these bold changes, if all municipalities outside the Western Cape don’t make these bold changes, then we won’t be able to fulfill our constitutional obligations.”