ActionSA’s Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya commits to stability in metro her party calls ‘effectively bankrupt’

9 Oct 2024

ActionSA’s Nasiphi Moya has taken the helm of a capital city teetering on the edge of collapse, as her predecessor from the DA, Cilliers Brink, promised to be a ‘devastatingly effective’ opposition focused on regaining control of the government.

In the coming days, newly elected Tshwane mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, faces the challenging task of establishing a government that can steer Gauteng’s second-largest metropolitan area out of financial troubles as it grapples with billions in debt to creditors.

Moya was elected first citizen of Tshwane on Wednesday, 9 October 2024, after going head-to-head with her predecessor and DA councillor, Cilliers Brink. Moya was elected with 122 votes while Brink managed to get 86. A total of 208 votes were cast with no spoilt ballots.

Her election comes two weeks after Brink was removed through an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence that was supported by 120 councillors, while 87 voted against the motion and one member abstained.

Musical chairs

Moya is the city’s fourth mayor since the 2021 local government elections. Randall Williams resigned in February 2023, saying it was for the sake of the stability of the coalition government, which at the time included ActionSA, the Freedom Front Plus, the African Christian Democratic Party, Cope and the IFP.

Cope’s embattled Murunwa Makwarela was voted in, but his tenure as mayor was short-lived following controversy over his submission of a fake insolvency rehabilitation certificate, making way for Brink.

ActionSA severed its relationship with the DA recently and entered into a “conditional” partnership with the ANC while claiming the DA had neglected Tshwane’s townships.

DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille reportedly pressured the ANC to back Brink or risk discussions over partnerships in other metros that had taken place following the formation of the government of national unity.

ANC leading from behind

Moya’s candidacy was supported on Wednesday by political parties including ActionSA, the ANC and the EFF, which collectively hold more than 110 seats in the 214-seat council.

The ANC’s coalition framework states that the party must take the mayoral position in any council where it holds the most seats. While the ANC successfully implemented this in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, it has not done so in Tshwane, where it is the leading party with 75 seats.

ANC provincial secretary Thembinkosi Nciza said it was nearly impossible in Tshwane because they needed either ActionSA or the DA to govern, and the former had shown an appetite to work with them, although on its own terms.

“It’s different dynamics. Remember, coalitions are not cast in stone.”

Nciza added that although the ANC did not get the mayoral post, it was still in an advantageous position as the party with the most seats.

“Leading a metro does not necessarily mean having a mayor, but it means making sure you are leading from the front, which we did even today.”

EFF Gauteng chairperson Nkululeko Dunga told journalists: “We are confident that the new configuration of government will not only create stability in terms of the political leadership question, but also equate it to service delivery.”

Experienced candidate

Moya has a wealth of experience. She was elected the first deputy executive mayor of the city and appointed chief of staff in the Tshwane mayor’s office in 2020 when the city was run by the DA. She had been a member of the party for 10 years before switching to ActionSA in 2021.

She has a PhD in political science and an MA in philosophy. The ANC sang her praises on Wednesday.

“She is indeed a very strong candidate, although we would have brought a strong candidate as well. We were persuaded by them [ActionSA] and we engaged with them at length,” Nciza said.

With 16 months before the local government elections, Nciza said the ANC agreed that the next mayor should be someone with experience who can bring about stability, ensure service delivery for everyone and, most importantly, improve the City’s finances.

Bankrupt city

The administrative capital is down on its luck with a massive budget deficit and poor service delivery. Its debt to Eskom is more than R4-billion.

The City had budgeted for an overdraft of R800-million as part of a normal cash flow facility that cities use. Jacqui Uys, the former MMC for finance, had been waiting for approval of an R800-million overdraft facility from Absa.

Although the bank verbally confirmed the approval when she left office, written confirmation was still outstanding by Wednesday afternoon.

“The [Municipal Finance Management Act] states that this facility needs to be settled in full at the end of every financial year. Currently, Absa, the City’s bank, has not yet approved the facility which has an impact on the cash flow of the City and its ability to pay creditors,” Uys said.

Failure to obtain the approval may result in the City being unable to pay its creditors by the end of the month. These are not uncharted waters for the City, since it could barely pay its creditors, including Eskom and Rand Water, for a greater part of 2023 and its finances were further crippled by a protracted municipal strike by workers demanding a 5.4% salary increase.

Tshwane has also been struggling with revenue collection, particularly from its debtors, and as a result has had to introduce Tshwane Ya Tima, a campaign to clamp down on clients who fail to pay their bills, including households and businesses, in an attempt to claw back some of the more than R6-billion owed to the municipality.

Read more: City of Tshwane tables R50bn budget aimed at improving finances — amid EFF disruption

Despite its ongoing woes, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke commended Tshwane for improving its outcome from an adverse audit opinion to a qualified opinion by taking steps to implement prior-year audit recommendations.

ActionSA’s national chairperson, Micheal Beaumont, also warned that the City was nearly bankrupt.

“The city is in a terrible state. It has been in that state because of the actions of the last eight years’ worth of mayors, and even before that, and now is the time where we need strong, decisive leadership.”

In addition to a solid plan, Beaumont said Tshwane needs a “strong intergovernmental relations framework with provincial and national government to deal with a city that is effectively bankrupt”.

Focus on stability

In her acceptance speech Moya said she understands the enormous challenge ahead of her.

“The anxiety and political instability that has plagued this city is not lost on me. But my vow today is to put the politics of the past behind us and bring stability to the city we call home.”

She committed to resolving the lack of service delivery in less-affluent areas, including Soshanguve, Hammansrkaal and Mamelodi.

“I fully appreciate the troubling reality of the growing divide between the affluent and the disadvantaged, which has become a defining characteristic of our city.

“Many residents are facing significant challenges in accessing basic services and opportunities. My vow is to work tirelessly to bridge this gap and ensure that we create a more just and inclusive city where all residents, regardless of their economic status or geographic location, have access to quality services,” she said.

Addressing the media, Brink, Moya’s predecessor and now leader of the opposition, said the DA’s ultimate goal is to return to power.

“In the face of all of this, the DA’s resolve is not to abandon the people of Tshwane, with what we know about the government, about the City of Tshwane and the strong team surrounding me…

“We will be a devastatingly effective opposition, but our ultimate focus will be on returning to government, to end the chaos that has for too long characterised the politics of Gauteng metros,” Brink said. DM

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Musical chairs

ANC leading from behind

Experienced candidate

Bankrupt city

Focus on stability