ANC Tshwane gets Luthuli House nod to remove DA's Brink as mayor

The ANC in Tshwane has confirmed it has received the go-ahead to remove DA mayor Cilliers Brink in a motion of no confidence on Thursday. 

TimesLIVE previously reported the ANC's Gauteng leadership failed in their first try to convince the national leadership to give it the thumbs up to enter into a coalition which would unseat the DA in the city.

Gauteng secretary TK Nciza and chair Panyaza Lesufi were sent back to the drawing board last week when they presented their case to the national working committee on why the party should enter into a coalition with ActionSA to unseat the DA in the city.

Speaking on the sidelines of the special council sitting on Thursday, Tshwane regional secretary George Matjila confirmed the motion of no confidence the ANC tabled would go ahead.

The ANC, however, has not yet made it clear who it will nominate to replace Brink. This comes as the party's negotiations with the DA for it to retain the mayoral chain collapsed. 

TimesLIVE understands a meeting between the DA and the ANC's top leadership this week failed to reach an agreement. 

ANC insiders said the ANC was not satisfied with the terms of agreement stated by the DA.

The DA proposed it retain the Tshwane metro while it would support the ANC in Ekurhuleni.

Matjila said the ANC believed challenges faced by communities in Tshwane could be better resolved by a government of local unity. 

He said the ANC would form a coalition with parties represented in council. 

This could mean the ANC has reached an agreement with ActionSA to co-govern in the city. 

The regional secretary added Luthuli House would decide later who would take over from Brink. 

“Today [Thursday] we are dealing with the first phase and the first phase dictates to us that we need not do anything but the removal of the mayor and that is what we are going to do,” he said. 

DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille believes if the motion succeeds, it would negatively affect the government of national unity (GNU).

[Brink]'s opponents would rather destroy our capital city's chances of recovery and undermine the GNU than allow him to succeed and show what is possible.DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille

The ANC started negotiating with ActionSA to remove the DA in the city after the DA formed a coalition with the ANC in the national government.

The Herman Mashaba-led party then announced its departure from the DA-led coalition in the city.

Zille called Brink's removal a tragedy for the country and the GNU.

She said if the motion succeeded South Africa would suffer a setback, adding anyone who wants a better future for the country will back Brink in Tshwane.

“The irony is the motion has been brought against Brink not because he's doing badly but because he is doing well, and his opponents would rather destroy our capital city's chances of recovery and undermine the GNU than allow him to succeed and show what is possible. History will judge them harshly. People who pursue their own political vendetta at the cost of the future of all South Africans.

“Internationally, the spirit of co-operation in the GNU has brought new hope, investment and prospects for growth in jobs, but tragically there are those who are pulling against that spirit.”

DA members were seen picketing outside Tshwane House on Thursday against the removal of Brink. A petition with more than 400,000 signatures has been launched to stop the motion.

Other members of the party also expressed their support for Brink. DA Gauteng provincial leader Solly Msimanga has called on Tshwane residents to come out in numbers and “say no to the motion of no confidence”.

He said Brink showed he has the guts and the mental know-how to ensure progress continues to happen.

Western Cape premier Alan Winde urged Tshwane residents to stand firm and send a strong message to Mashaba's ActionSA, saying, “This is totally unacceptable: to break down and put a motion of no confidence against Brink and the coalition that is in the City of Tshwane.

“We have to make sure we keep stability, good financial governance and services going to you as the citizens of Tshwane. Brink, we are behind you in the Western Cape and your coalition team. You've been doing such a great job and we need to make sure we are doing everything possible to keep that job going in the best interest of every citizen.”

TimesLIVE