The African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane is ready for war over the city’s governance issue after the municipality halted bus service.
Lindela Mashego, a spokesman for the city, said in a statement released on Tuesday that the city’s three gas stations are empty due to a lack of fuel deliveries and that it is unclear when normal operations will resume.
Nevertheless, Mashego stated that the town is working with service providers to remedy the situation.
“The City of Tshwane regrets to inform Tshwane Bus Services commuters of the temporary suspension of bus operations beginning Tuesday due to fuel shortages,” stated Mashego, recommending commuters to make other transportation plans.
The ANC in the city stated in its response that the municipality is drowning in its own governance.
Joel Masilela, a spokesman for the African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane, stated that the suspension of bus operations is detrimental to commuters and that the city’s failure to secure fuel affects other facets of service delivery, including bulk water and electrical utility services.
“Without fuel, the city’s employees will not only be negatively impacted, but their morale will decrease each day of the month,” stated Masilela.
“This is regrettable because it has a negative impact on the life of ordinary township residents. We are going to have significant issues with streetlights and the response time to electrical outages.”
Masilela stated that the city’s inefficiency is equal to mistreatment, adding that the ANC is preparing for battle to ensure that residents receive the services they are entitled to.
“There are no other options besides addressing the public protector and paying their municipal bills to the city, as the public is horribly mistreated.
“[The second alternative] would be the absolute last resort in pushing for a vote of no confidence, as it is apparent that allowing these morons to continue to manage the city would diminish its chances of recovery.
Masilela told Sunday World earlier in the month that the ANC in Tshwane was planning to depose mayor Randall Williams after auditor-general Tsakani Maluleke’s devastating audit report.
Maluleke discovered that Tshwane was riddled with mismanagement and corruption during the 2021/22 fiscal year, stating that the city had manipulated its financial accounts to conceal problems.
Maluleke disclosed records of irregular expenditures of R10 billion and unapproved expenditures exceeding R600 million.
In response to the results, the coalition government expressed dissatisfaction and stated that it expected “immediate corrective action, comprehensive reform, and genuine accountability.” Nonetheless, it shifted the burden to the ANC, which ruled the city over six years ago.
The coalition administration implied that the city is on the verge of collapse due to the ANC, who reportedly abandoned it in a deplorable state due to corruption.
The mayor’s spokesperson at the time, Sipho Stuurman, implied that Williams remained unmoved by mounting calls for his dismissal.
Stuurman told Sunday World, on behalf of Williams, that the ANC has no prospect of regaining power in Tshwane, pointing out that the coalition government holds the majority in council and is united.
“The ANC has not formally filed a motion of no confidence against the mayor, and the speaker has not received any such correspondence or application… “The executive mayor is in charge of the coalition, and the coalition has a majority in the City of Tshwane,” he stated at the time.
Nevertheless, Masilela emphasized at the time that Williams should be rocked not by the threat of a vote of no confidence, but by the actual issue of mismanagement and corruption in the city.
“Seven years is a considerable amount of time to blame someone. They cannot blame the ANC for their shortcomings, according to Masilela, who believes the coalition is holding firm.
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