Former Tshwane mayor under the leadership of the Democratic Alliance, Cilliers Brink has been removed officially from his position as the executive mayor of Tshwane during a council session at Tshwane House on Thursday, September 26.
This decision follows a motion of no confidence filed by the African National Congress (ANC) to the Tshwane speaker who informed Brink about the motion of no confidence.
The ANC contends that Brink has failed to address critical issues within the city, including persistent service delivery failures and mismanagement of public finances.
Despite having the support of Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Brink has been removed after serving for 18 consecutive months.
Before the final decision, Brink expressed his determination to fight against the motion of no confidence.
He stated, “It’s very unfortunate the ANC has not withdrawn this motion. They can still do it, but the longer they take to do it, the less likely there is for a good outcome. My general feeling is one of concern for the city, but we are in a fighting mood.”
Brink emphasised the importance of protecting the progress made during his tenure, including the Hammanskraal water project aimed at providing clean water to residents.
“We want to cut that ribbon on the Hammanskraal water project that gives people clean water in their taps. We want to be there at each one of the milestones and celebrate the financial recovery of the city,” he added.
The vote to remove Brink resulted in 120 councillors in favour and 87 against, with one councillor abstaining.
The motion received support not only from the ANC but also from ActionSA, which is poised to form a coalition to take control of the city.
Supporters of Brink gathered outside Tshwane House in a show of solidarity during the vote.
As of now, the capital city is without a mayor, creating an opportunity for both the ANC and ActionSA to potentially seize control.
Both parties have been vocal critics of Brink's leadership during his time as mayor.
IOL