Tshwane’s DA-led coalition has jumped from one scandal to another, ANC says

The ANC’s greater Tshwane region says it is vindicated in its long-standing view that the DA-led coalition is incompetent, corrupt and lacks the ability to lead the capital city.

The city was flagged for serious irregularities and failing to submit the correct financial statements to the auditor-general for the July 2021 to June 2022 financial year, resulting in an adverse audit finding.

In a damning 28-page report leaked last week, the auditor-general found a string of irregularities, overpayment of councillors and officials benefiting from supply-chain processes.

The ANC says the DA-led coalition, which has led the municipality for the past seven years, has jumped from one scandal to another and consolidated the collapse of the capital city.

The ANC accused the DA of forming a coalition government just for the purpose of removing the ANC from the seat of government, saying it was never ready to address the ailing infrastructure, deliver services and create much-needed jobs.

Among the findings was irregular expenditure of R10.5bn, which could not properly be accounted for, with fruitless and wasteful expenditure also understated by R1bn as the municipality failed to record such expenses.

The report also details how the municipality failed to disclose reasons for deviating from supply-chain management regulations, which resulted in financial statements being overstated by R488m.

ANC regional secretary George Matjila said the coalition looked for all excuses to blame others, especially the ANC, because for them it was about the seat of government and nothing else.

“In 2016, minority parties were coerced into an unprincipled coalition that elevated the DA and placed it on a pedestal when the ANC warned that any support offered in the coalition is not based on principle but used to consolidate a neoliberal agenda and backwardness,” Matjila said.

“Their lame excuse for failing to provide a safe community, clean water, reliable public transport and clean environment was that the ANC is either to be blamed or apportioned blame. We can therefore, without repeating many failures from the DA-led coalition, state that there is no future in the current coalition of parties,” he said.

The party added it was appalled by ActionSA and FF Plus, who had been quiet about the matter.

“All parties have buried their heads in the sand. FF Plus and ActionSA will never lead any council in this country but will govern through corrupt coalitions like this one in Tshwane,” Matjila said.

As the official opposition in council, the ANC said it was dealing with “a rogue executive mayor who has now received unlawful support from the city manager”.

“The CFO, like the city manager, is appointed by council. In 2022, council had not received any intention to either suspend or terminate the services of the CFO. Instead the DA-led coalition unlawfully fired the CFO,” Matjila alleged.

The party said it would demand answers from the city manager and mayor.

“We are aware that they found an easy solution — that of blaming the CFO and not taking responsibility. Randall Williams, in a normal world, was supposed to resign, but his party and members of the coalition are ready to defend him at all costs.

“The public should be aware that we are dealing with a man who refuses to take responsibility for every wrongdoing,” Matjila said.

The ANC called on the co-operative governance and traditional affairs provincial department, along with the SA Local Government Association, to intervene.