Tshwane metro set to elect maiden deputy mayor
Opposition parties and one of SA’s biggest unions have condemned the city of Tshwane’s decision to create a deputy mayoral position, saying it was motivated by patronage politics aimed at placating ActionSA which is threatening to leave the governing coalition.
ActionSA chief director of governance Nasiphi Moya was nominated for the deputy mayor position on Monday. She enjoys support from the DA-led coalition which accounts for a combined majority of 109 seats in the 214-seat council.
DA executive mayor Cilliers Brink’s spokesperson Sipho Stuurman said on Wednesday that the city will hold a special council meeting on Thursday to elect the deputy mayor.
The creation of the deputy mayor position was part of an agreement entered into by coalition partners the DA, ActionSA, COPE, the Freedom Front Plus and the ACDP, Stuurman said. It was approved by the Gauteng MEC for local government.
Brink announced in 2023 that ActionSA would fill the newly-created position. ActionSA councillor Mark Boikanyo will resign to make space for Moya in the council, the party announced on Monday.
However, the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), the largest trade union in the local government sector representing more than 160,000 of SA’s estimated 350,000 municipal workers, has not taken kindly to the metro’s decision to install a deputy mayor. Samwu, which in November 2023 ended a fourmonth illegal work stoppage in Tshwane to force the implementation of a 5.4% wage increase, said the creation of the post was confusing since the city was claiming it was broke.
On Wednesday, Samwu Tshwane acting regional secretary Precious Theledi said the Cosatu affiliate was not happy with the decision. “The money they will use in setting up the deputy mayoral position could be used to pay our wage increases,” she said.
The DA holds the mayoral and city manager positions in the metro, while the speaker position is held by ATM councillor Mncedi Ndzwanana.
“The DA is rewarding ActionSA for their loyalty in the coalition agreement with this deputy mayorship,” Theledi said. “We will continue to put pressure that they still owe us our 5.4% wage increase. We hope they realise having a deputy mayor is a waste of money, and it doesn’t make sense, while they continue saying there is no money.” The coalition government was demonstrating that “in fact, they do have money to squander”.
EFF Tshwane regional chair Obakeng Ramabodu said the EFF expressed its “strong disapproval and outright rejection” of the deputy mayoral position.
“Since its inception on December 5 2000, the city has not found it necessary to appoint such a position, leading to the question of the motives behind this current consideration. Concerns arise that this move may be a strategy to fulfil personal agendas and a sense of entitlement to political positions,” Ramabodu said.
“The EFF in Tshwane urges ActionSA and the DA to place the welfare of workers and the community before political manoeuvring. We call for their commitment to the insourcing of all workers as a precondition to even debating the creation of a deputy mayor post,” he said.
Service delivery in the metro had reached a “critical point” and the city’s infrastructure had been neglected. The EFF wanted the coalition government to insource workers and improve their wages. “The practice of outsourcing has led to a continuation of exploitive labour conditions, job insecurity, and inequitable employment practices within the municipality.”
Ramabodu said the introduction of a deputy mayor role would impose an “unwarranted fiscal strain” on a municipal budget already under pressure. He said the money would be better used addressing “urgent needs such as enhancing service delivery, developing infrastructure, and implementing social advancement initiatives”.
Ramabodu said the municipality had accrued significant debt to Eskom due to its inability to efficiently manage revenue collection, electricity distribution, municipal administration, and payments to creditors.
“Yet, it appears intent on expending additional funds to placate the demands of ActionSA, a coalition partner that persistently threatens to withdraw from the coalition agreement.”
ANC Tshwane chair Eugene Modise could not immediately be reached for comment.
Moya, who holds a PhD in political science and has previously worked as head of the chief whip’s office and later as chief of staff in the office of the executive mayor of Tshwane, said she noted the concerns and scepticism of opposition parties in council regarding the creation of the deputy mayor position.
“Let me assure the opposition that this position is not about prestige but about delivery and the opposition will find my door open if they would like to rise above partisan politics and prioritise the needs of their communities,” she said.
Moya said in addition to deputising as outlined in legislation, the role brings with it an opportunity to focus on functions related to infrastructure development, repairs, and maintenance. Her responsibilities will include overseeing capital projects; overseeing service delivery at regional level; and working with the COO portfolio to “streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and ensure that resources are allocated optimally to achieve tangible results for residents”.