By Doreen Mokgolo
- ANC took control of Tshwane’s council, replacing the DA’s Christo van den Heever with Molatelo Mashola as chief whip.
- In his speech, Mashola pledged to improve services and cooperate across party lines for Tshwane’s citizens.
In their quest to remove the DA from all leadership positions in the City of Tshwane, the party tabled a motion of no confidence against the chief whip of Tshwane council, the DA’s Christo van den Heever, during a special council meeting on Thursday.
Van den Heever served as chief whip during the tenure of the metro’s DA-led coalition.
The ANC’s alderman Molatelo Mashola was elected unopposed as the new chief whip of Tshwane council.
The DA was removed from positions of power in a motion of no confidence that was tabled by the ANC last month after they joined forces with ActionSA.
The ANC has regained their positions of power in the metro after they lost control during the 2016 local elections.
They now occupy key positions in the metro, which includes the chief whip, deputy mayor, and heads of finance, housing and human settlements, health, economic development, roads and transport, among others.
In his acceptance speech, Mashola said he is committed to working with the multi-party structures of council to ensure that it functions with dignity and decorum.
“The citizens of this city expect that as elected councillors, we put aside our differences and work hard to ensure that their lives are improved.
“We want this municipality to work and deliver services to the people of Tshwane,” he said.
Congratulating Mashola, former Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink urged him to prioritise the safety of councillors both in the council chambers and outside serving their communities.
“Male councillors are in most cases able to protect themselves while their female counterparts are often threatened. This is not something we should tolerate.
“We appreciate that Mashola has vowed to treat all political parties fairly and committed to work with other parties,” he said.
Pictured above: Molatelo Mashola.
Source: Supplied
