/ 21 October 2009

FF+ wants Tshwane mayor out

The mayor of Tshwane and her mayoral committee must be removed to avert further collapse of the municipality’s finances and service delivery capabilities, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said on Wednesday.

”The FF+ will enter into talks with other opposition parties, as well as ANC councillors, about the possibility of bringing a motion of no confidence against the mayor [Gwen Ramokgopa] before the end of the year,” said Conrad Beyers, FF+ councillor in the Tshwane metro council.

”It is well-known that there is considerable unhappiness within ANC ranks about Ramokgopa, which strengthens the possibility for such a motion to succeed.”

He said an independent rating company, Empowerdex, had found the municipality does not deliver basic services to about 23,8% of its residents.

Such services include access to housing, tap water, sanitation, garbage removal and electricity.

Beyers said a quarter of the residents received no basic services and the other three-quarters received the worst service imaginable.

”Quick action is necessary to put the metro council under new management. Further collapse of the municipality’s services and finances will definitely lead to further unrest and violence.

”Apart from the fact that residents will suffer, it has the potential to derail next years soccer World Cup completely,” Beyers said. — Sapa