DA to announce Tshwane mayor-elect on Monday

In a bid to retain power in the City of Tshwane, the DA has interviewed three potential candidates for the position of mayor-elect, with the successful candidate expected to be announced at the party’s federal executive meeting this week.

A source close to the matter told City Press that council speaker Katlego Mathebe, DA Tshwane regional chairperson and former acting mayor Abel Tau, and councillor Randall Williams were the DA candidates interviewed by the party’s election panel for the position of mayor-elect.

The process is under way because embattled mayor Stevens Mokgalapa is set to leave at the end of this month.

DA Gauteng provincial chairperson Mike Moriarty confirmed that the interviews had taken place and told City Press the outcome would be announced on Monday.

Mathebe is the firm favourite and has been making headlines recently for being outspoken and stern, even when confronted by the EFF and the ANC, which have been attempting to oust Mokgalapa.

Since the beginning of the year, the EFF and the ANC have also been relentless in their attempts to unseat Mathebe as speaker, but have so far not succeeded.

Tau, on the other hand, has filled the void on numerous occasions when Mokgalapa has been on leave or was forced to go on special leave.

The most recent instance was when Mokgalapa was placed on leave after an audio clip emerged of him allegedly having sex with former roads and transport member of the mayoral council Sheila Senkubuge.

Moriarty said the DA was still working on convincing political parties to vote for their candidate, and that the DA was confident that they would win.

While the DA enjoys a majority in Tshwane, the apparent cooperation between the ANC and the EFF could pose a serious threat to the party and result in the DA losing yet another metro.

Even if the DA manages to convince smaller parties, including Cope, the African Christian Democratic Party, the Freedom Front Plus and the Pan Africanist Congress, to vote with it, the party will not have enough numbers to gain an outright majority.

However, the ANC told City Press that it had not yet made a decision regarding which candidate it would field.

It also would not confirm whether it would be working with the EFF.

ANC Tshwane regional chair Kgosi Maepa said the governing party was reluctant to make any moves because Mokgalapa had not formally resigned.

Queenin Masaubi Political journalist | City Press

+27 11 713 9001 Queenin.Masuabi@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

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