BREAKING NEWS: Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga resigns

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has resigned from his post. Msimanga said during a briefing on Friday that his resignation would be finalised in the first two weeks of February.

"Up to the last hour I will be committed to the people of Tshwane," Msimanga said. He told journalists that the decision was not taken lightly.

Msimanga is the DA’s candidate for Gauteng premier and hopes to be the first DA premier installed in the province after the coming national and provincial elections, just months away. 

Msimanga was elected Tshwane mayor after the ANC fell below 50% in the metro following the 2016 local government elections. The DA received the biggest number of votes in the metro, but had to form a coalition to govern, relying on the EFF’s vote to get Msimanga into office, as it was the kingmaker.

 Msimanga has survived two motions of no confidence in the Tshwane metro,  one tabled by the ANC and the other by the EFF.

He has also faced two major staffing crises in his office. His former chief of staff, Marietha Aucamp, had to resign after it was found that she did not have the qualifications for the post, while another furore erupted after it was found that another one of his staffers was underqualified.

The de facto war between Msimanga and city manager Moeketsi Mosola has also escalated since he has been on the campaign trail.

Msimanga has twice attempted to have Mosola suspended from the position. The first attempt was pending an investigation into an open-ended contract with engineering consultants GladAfrica, which did not succeed.

The second attempt has been deferred to a council meeting at the end of January, in which Msimanga wants Mosola suspended based on multiple allegations of misconduct.

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