Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela disqualified as a councillor, leaving the City mayorless

PHUTI MOSOMANE

THE recently elected City of Tshwane Mayor  Murunwa Makwarela has been disqualified as a Proportional Representative (PR) Councillor.

Makwarela, a prominent businessman and COPE councillor, was elected as the new mayor of Tshwane almost two weeks ago.

According to a letter sent to the Gauteng Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), City Manager Johann Mettler said Makwarela is disqualified in terms of Section 47 (1) (c) of the constitution which state that people who are “unrehabilitated insolvents” cannot hold public office.  

“The City Manager of City of Tshwane Johann Mettler has written to the Gauteng Provincial officer of the IEC this morning informing him of a casual vacancy which has occurred at the city following the disqualification of a Congress of the People (COPE) Proportional Representative (PR) Councillor Dr. Murunwa Makwarela,” City spokesperson Selby Bokaba said in a media statement.

Although Makwarela was declared insolvent in 2016, Mettler gave him until