New Tshwane mayor vows to prioritise service delivery

The newly elected mayor of Tshwane, Dr. Nasiphi Moya, has vowed to prioritise service delivery in township communities and address the long-standing concerns of residents. 

She made the commitment earlier after succeeding ousted mayor, Cilliers Brink. 

Moya secured 122 votes, beating the DA councillor’s 86. 

Her predecessor’s tenure was marred by allegations of financial mismanagement and neglect of township communities.

Speaking at the back of her appointment, Dr Moya promised to create an inclusive government that leaves no community behind.

As Moya begins her tenure, her first critical task will be selecting members of her mayoral committee. 

The decision is expected to reveal the dynamics of ActionSA’s newfound coalition with the ANC and EFF, which party leader, Herman Mashaba, has defended.

He’s praised the EFF for its support during his tenure as Johannesburg mayor, adding that he had found the party to be free of corrupt activities. 

Mashaba’s relationship with the DA soured after the party’s decision to join the Government of National Unity, with Mashaba claiming he was blindsided by DA leadership.

The DA, however, has labelled Mashaba’s newfound marriage with the ANC as an attempt to settle scores after being excluded from the GNU. 

It has also questioned the legitimacy of Moya’s appointment, labelling it a “proxy deal” which comes as a result of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s anti-GNU stance.

In July, talks between the ANC and DA to form a government of provincial unity deadlocked, and the parties failed to reach an agreement to co-govern the country’s economic hub.

DA spokesperson, Kwena Moloto, believes that Moya’s appointment was driven by political convenience rather than necessity.