The IFP has asked opposition parties in Tshwane to allow investigations to be concluded before tabling a motion of no confidence against mayor Randall Williams.
IFP Gauteng provincial chairperson Bonginkosi Dhlamini made the call yesterday as the ANC planned a motion of no confidence against Williams at a council meeting on Thursday.
Williams faces allegations of interfering in the city’s supply chain management processes after a leaked audio recording of a meeting in 2021 between himself and senior officials regarding an unsolicited bid.
The multiparty coalition government in Tshwane consists of ActionSA, DA, ACDP, IFP, COPE and FF+, which have a combined 109 seats out of a council of 214 seats.
Both ActionSA and the ANC accused Williams of interfering in the city’s supply chain relating to the proposal of a R26bn energy contract.
The DA came out in support of Williams on Frida,y saying he had not contravened any Municipal Finance Management Act regulations as there was no tender in place.
Dhlamini said the IFP supported the concept of the private partnership as there was an electricity crisis in the city, but said it did not condone or approve of how Williams conducted himself in the matter.
“The mayor needs to be investigated because it will be difficult for the IFP to continue working with a tainted mayor.”
Asked if the IFP would support Williams in the planned motion of no confidence, Dhlamini said: “We’re not in a coalition with the mayor but parties...we can’t call for a vote of no confidence while the matter has not been investigated.”
Meanwhile, ActionSA said though it was still committed to the coalition, Williams should vacate his office.
ANC Tshwane caucus spokesperson Joel Masilela said the party hopes to use its simple majority of 75 seats in council to push for the debate on the motion of no confidence.
“We’ll be bringing the motion on an urgent basis, which the rules allow. Our principle is that the mayor has undermined the rule of law, the MFMA, and we want to register this. We’re not just clinging to the hopes that other parties will agree to the debate because if the mayor goes, it means the entire mayoral committee collapses too.
“The DA has always claimed it runs a clean administration as if the ANC hasn’t done that before in the city. Should the debate fail on Thursday, we can always petition a special council sitting where the motion will be tabled again. We’ve written to the MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs and the public protector to investigate this matter,” Masilela said.
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