Solly Msimanga officially resigns

In his resignation letter, Solly Msimanga explains that he is stepping down in order to pursue higher office. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has officially resigned.

Msimanga announced he would be resigning as Tshwane mayor two weeks ago, saying he wanted to focus on his campaign to become Gauteng premier ahead of the national elections, set to take place in May.

His resignation comes amid claims he was pushed out of the city by the Democratic Alliance (DA) due to unsatisfactory performance and endless scandals, including the multibillion-rand GladAfrica scandal and the hiring of unqualified staffers in his office.

READ MORE: Tshwane mayor hired chief of staff without required qualifications

It is understood that Msimanga submitted his official resignation to Katleho Mathebe — the speaker of council — on Thursday morning.

In his resignation letter, Msimanga explains that he is stepping down in order to pursue higher office.

“It has become clear to me and the DA that unless we govern the Gauteng province with an outright majority, the fate of the people of Tshwane will soon be fate of the people of Gauteng across the board,” Msimanga says in his correspondence.

Mathebe announced during the Thursday sitting that she had received an urgent requests from the ANC to debate a motion of no confidence against the embattled and outgoing mayor.

She explained that its request was invalid as Msimanga had officially stepped down.

The ANC, however, is arguing for its motion to go ahead before any other business of the day.

The party’s regional chairperson Kgosi Maepa says the resignation was done in a haphazard manner, with pens, due to fears of the pending ANC motion.

He says the ANC wants Msimanga to leave office immediately and not on February 11 as his resignation letter states.

Maepa has called for the Tshwane mayoral committee members to also step down.

“The mayoral committee is the mayoral committee of the mayor. They serve as members of the mayoral committee at the behest of the mayor so if there is no mayor there is no mayoral committee … So there is effectively no mayoral committee in the City of Tshwane after [Msimanga] resigns.
PROMOTEDMake this Summer the best everGet the Samsung Galaxy A30s and R250 Online Voucher for R299 PMx24 On Smart XS+ Buy Now.Vodacom | vodacom.co.zaWe have asked that the people of the speaker’s office organise Ubers to come and take members of the mayoral committee because council cars will have to remain in council. You cannot take council vehicles if you are not a member of council,” Maepa said.