TSHWANE Speaker Katlego Mathebe has been suspended for six months without pay, while Joburg speaker Vasco Da Gama was also suspended for three months.
Gauteng MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Lebogang Maile suspended the DA councillors yesterday.
But DA leader John Steenhuisen said they would take Maile to court for political harassment.
Maile said his decision was consistent with the law. Steenhuisen slammed the MEC’s decision. He said they would not give in to what he called bullying tactics by Maile.
“We instructed our lawyers to approach the courts on an urgent basis. We’ve also written to the MEC to invite him to retract his unlawful decision, failing which we’ll apply for a punitive cost order against Maile.”
Tshwane chief whip Christo van den Heever said: “The MEC has no jurisdiction over the multi-party whippery of the council of Tshwane, nor its committees.”
On the other hand, ANC Gauteng welcomed Maile’s decision. Spokesman Motalatale Modiba said the reasons the MEC made this hard decision were compelling, taking into account the questionable conduct by the two councillors.
- Judgment in the case of Tshwane Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and Mathebe has been reserved by Judge Neil Tuchten.
The DA, ANC and EFF were back at North Gauteng High Court in Tshwane yesterday, as the DA sought an order to declare the sitting that saw Mokgalapa and Mathebe removed as unlawful.
The lawyer representing the ANC, Phazha Ngwande, argued the DA case to challenge the mayor and Speaker must be dealt with by council and not the courts.
He argued the courts would be taking over the powers of council if it continued to allow the matter to sit in court.
Tuchten said the ANC’s affidavit contradicted itself and breached the Municipal Structures Act.
