New mayor shows he means business

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The newly elected mayor said the city would ban blue-light brigades within the metropolitan area and expected even President Jacob Zuma to abide by this law once it had been implemented.

“When Zuma comes to the city, we will make sure there are no blue lights anymore,” Msimanga said.

Msimanga pledged to provide services to all in Tshwane irrespective of their political affiliation.

“We will deliver to all your people because they are our people,” he said, seemingly directing his comment at the ANC councillors, now occupying the official opposition benches after coming second in the August 3 polls.

No one would be appointed into a position because he or she belonged to a particular party, he said. He warned that there would be no more instant millionaires created out of tender systems.

“People of Hammanskraal can look forward to receiving water, sewerage and jobs. More jobs would also be created in Mamelodi, Babelegi and Silverton. No more will our people suffer at the hands of the ANC,” he said.

Msimanga warned people who would want to make the city ungovernable: “We are saying to you that we are watching you,” he said.

To those who had been waiting for title deeds, he promised to deliver them in no time. He said gone were the days when city officials would get to their offices and sleep.

He also had a word for ANC councillors who had heckled and booed him during his speech and appealed to them not to be bad losers: “This is why you came number two in the election. Humble yourself.”

He said the people of Tshwane had decided which direction they wanted their city to go.

Mathebe threatened to remove ANC members who continued to interrupt Msimanga.

The speaker, however, never executed her threat and said she wanted all councillors to hear what the new mayor had to say. ANC councillor and regional deputy chairman Mapiti Matsena made an instant demand that people in Phomolong be relocated to the Waterkloof area east of the city.

EFF councillor Benjamin Disoloane told the DA to make sure that in Tshwane there were no racists and white supremacy. “We support you, but we are not part of you,” he told the mayor.

Disoloane said the EFF was tired of seeing the ANC dispatching the Red Ants security to evict poor people and dismantle their shacks.

“We are going to teach the ANC how to become the opposition, so please behave yourself. You (the speaker) are not going to become Baleka Mbete,” he said.