By Thys Khiba – The Democratic Alliance’s Jeff Zwane has been ousted as Metsimaholo Local Municipality mayor through a vote of no confidence brought by the African National Congress caucus and supported by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Tuesday, 01 August 2023.
This comes after 31 councillors supported voted in support of his removal, while the DA walked out of the council meeting that took place at Harry Gwala Multipurpose Centre in ZamdelaSasolburg.
The council is expected to vote for the new mayor within seven days.
Zwane has been accused of corruption, fraud, money laundering on procurement of the security services rendered by security company Isidingo.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Executive Mayor in Metsimaholo Local Municipality, Jeff Zwane has allegedly appointed his body guard and driver as a technical contact person in a publicly advertised security tender.
Meanwhile, five senior officials, that includes Chief Financial Officer, Technical Director, Director of Planning and LED, and Social Services of Metsimaholo have been suspended following the allegations of involvement in allegedly appointing a security tender.
The ANC Fezile Dabi spokesperson Sello Pietersen said Zwanehas failed to play oversight in the administration and ignored to act on alleged irregularities involving the security tender.
“The service delivery came to collapse for three weeks with non collection of waste. This was because of the failure by suspended MM to procure the PPE. This has cost almost R5m. No consequence management.
“The Executive Mayor was advised on the illegal outsourcing of electrical meters revenue section without the proper process. The DA presented the budget which fails to grasp the service delivery into mostly the townships, also address the plight of the indigent,” said Pietersen.
The DA MPL and Provincial leader Dr Roy Jankielsohn hasconfirmed the DA wants to the courts to set aside the decision taken by council speaker Lucas Fisher on Tuesday to allow a motion of no confidence to be adopted in a meeting of council.
The party is seeking a legal advice on the legality of council meeting that was scheduled to remove Zwane.
“The Democratic Alliance isn’t just going to give up a government very easily. So we are going to look at the legality of council meeting and we will be getting a legal opinion.
“And based on the legal opinion that we receive we will then determine what strategy to follow further,” said Jankielsohn.
Jankielsohn has accused Fisher of not allowing Zwane to clarify allegations that are levelled against him during a council meeting.
Responding to allegations of fraud, corruption and money laundering against Zwane, Jankielsohn said Zwane told the DA that he did not appoint that his body guard and driver has been appointed as a technical contact person for a municipal advertised security tender contract.
Metsimaholo municipal spokesperson Dr Gino Alberts has assured residents that service delivery in the municipality will not be affected despite the removal of Zwane as the executive mayor.
Alberts indicated that service delivery provided by Metsimaholowill continue as there is an ‘administrative arm’ consisting of senior, middle management, supervisors and employees who will ensure that the operational matters such as service delivery for residents are taking place.
“I can assure the community of Metsimaholo, service delivery will continue… The removal of the mayor will not have any impact on the service delivery to our communities. At the municipality we are committed to ensure that services will be rendered to our community,” said Alberts.
Alberts rejected allegations suggesting that service delivery was a problem at Metsimaholo during the term of Zwane as a mayor.
Alberts said: “Service delivery was never a problem at Metsimaholo Municipality, so I can confidently say that we will continue where we left off. So there is nothing that the removal of the mayor will impact on service delivery. Service delivery will continue.”
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