Newly elected Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya assured residents that the anxiety and political instability that has plagued the City is not lost on her, and vowed to place the politics of the past behind and bring stability to the City.

“I am not an ActionSA mayor, or a mayor from any other party for that matter. I am not a mayor for one community or demographic. I am a mayor for all four-million residents of Tshwane, and on that point, I am non-negotiable,” said Moya.

Moya, who was the deputy mayor of the City, was elected as mayor on Wednesday with 122 votes, after the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Cilliers Brink was removed from office when the African National Congress (ANC) and ActionSA joined forces with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to vote him out in a motion of no confidence.

Brink was again nominated for the mayorship on Wednesday, but received 86 votes.

Since taking office as deputy mayor under Brink’s mayorship, Moya said she had dedicated much of her time to engaging with councillors, officials, and residents across all seven regions of the City. 

She acknowledged that many residents were facing significant challenges in accessing basic services and opportunities, and noted the gap between the rich and the poor, which she said was becoming a defining characteristic of the City.

She vowed to “work tirelessly” to bridge the gap and ensure that a just and inclusive City was created.

“The provision of quality basic services to all residents of the city is not a matter of politics, but a matter of principle. As a government, we owe this basic dignity to everyone we serve. The services received in our affluent areas will be the services received by our people in the previously disadvantaged areas. We will not make a choice between one or the other but work to improve services for all,” Moya stated and stressed that this will be her focus for the next two years.

She promised financial discipline, balanced with a sense of fairness and duty to fellow residents.

She acknowledged the multi-party coalition in the City and stressed the need for parties to work together,

“So, hear me clearly, esteemed Tshwane residents, I am committed to leading a caring and responsive government, guided by the belief that our residents deserve better. I am here to work; work with me. Let’s restore our great capital and set the standard for every other city in our great Republic,” Moya said.

PARTY REACTIONS

While the GOOD party expressed optimism with Moya’s election, saying it will bring “much-needed stability” to the capital city and improve service delivery, the DA criticised the new coalition in the metro.

GOOD was one of the parties in the opposition benches that voted in favour of ousting Brink, noting that the continued “decline of the City could not be left unchecked.”

GOOD City of Tshwane Councillor Sarah Mabotsa claimed that townships have been heavily neglected, and that illegal dumping and sewerage spills have become the norm.

She said her party expected Moya to lead the City with a clear vision, integrity and dedication.

Meanwhile, ousted former mayor Brink claimed that Moya will be in office, however, she will not be in power, saying that “her strings will be pulled” by the ANC’s Gauteng factions and the EFF.

“This is not a commentary on her skills or qualifications. She was a capable deputy mayor in the Tshwane multi-party coalition which her party brought to a fall,” said Brink.

He said the ANC’s choice of governing Tshwane with parties opposed to the Government of National Unity signified a “reunion between the ANC and its former radical economic transformation faction and bodes ill for the financial rescue mission underway in the City of Tshwane.”

“To cover what is essentially a Doomsday Pact, the ANC and their chaotic Gauteng factions have installed a proxy mayor from a small party. The proxy mayor model allows the ANC and the EFF to battle for resources while blaming their poor performance on a hapless third party,” he stated. 

He predicted that having delivered Tshwane to the ANC and the EFF, ActionSA would “become insignificant” in the battle for resources, which he said had also taken place in other cities where the parties governed together.