PHUTI MOSOMANE
TSHWANE City Manager Johann Mettler says Dr. Murunwa Makwarela remains a qualified councillor following the submission of the insolvency rehabilitation certificate to the city council.
Makwarela was reinstated as Tshwane Mayor on Thursday after he provided a letter of solvency to the City Manager.
“The City Manager of Tshwane Johann Mettler has received a noticed of solvency rehabilitation from Councillor Dr. Murunwa Makwarela this morning and has subsequently informed the Gauteng Provincial Electoral Officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to withdraw the declaration of a vacancy for the Congress of the People (COPE) PR Councillor,” Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said in a statement.
Bokaba said the IEC has confirmed receipt of the letter.
“Accordingly, all the benefits and perks accorded to Dr. Makwarela as the executive mayor of the City of Tshwane have forthwith been reinstated,” Bokaba added.
Makwarela was elected Mayor of Tshwane last week Tuesday, and upon his election, Mettler asked him to produce a certificate showing that he has been successfully rehabilitated within seven days.
His insolvency case dates back to 2016. On Tuesdays March 07, Mettler wrote a letter informing the IEC that Makwarela has been “disqualified as a Councillor” because of failure to produce proof that he has been rehabilitated.
Makwarela has always insisted that the claims of “disqualification” were driven by a “witch-hunt” by the DA.
Both the ANC and EFF have questioned the timing of the decision of the City Manager, saying he did not have the authority to remove the mayor.
Makwarela is also demanding an apology from the Mettler by close of business today (Thursday] for deliberately leaking his letter to the IEC to the media.
INSIDE POLITICS