The DA in Tshwane submitted a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the Tshwane Council Mncedi Ndzwanana, with the party framing it as a crucial battle for accountability and governance.

DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said the move transcends partisan politics. It follows a recent High Court judgment which concluded that Ndzwanana had acted unlawfully during a Council vote.

"This motion of no confidence is not about politics. It is about accountability. It is about protecting the public purse, defending the integrity of Council, and ensuring that the Office of the Speaker cannot be abused to advance corrupt interests," Brink said.

According to Brink, the Speaker deducted 13 votes from the Council’s recorded total, an action the DA claims effectively rigged the outcome of the proceedings.

This enabled the suspension of Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler, a move Brink said was a calculated attempt by the ANC-EFF-ActionSA coalition to "seize control of the City’s administration and finances".

The DA successfully challenged the suspension in court.

"We protected Tshwane’s administration, its finances, and, ultimately, its residents from an unlawful attempt to capture the City," Brink said.

Despite the court ruling in the DA's favour, he expressed concern that Ndzwanana remains in office.

He said the Speaker's unlawful conduct has already burdened Tshwane’s ratepayers with unnecessary legal fees.

Furthermore, Brink argued that the incident demonstrated Ndzwanana’s willingness to abuse his impartial office to serve the political interests of the ANC-EFF-ActionSA coalition.

Leaving him in power, Brink warned, poses an immediate threat to the municipality.

The political manoeuvring comes at a critical time, with local government elections just three months away.

Brink warned that the "coalition of corruption" still has ample time to use a "lawless Speaker" to manipulate Council proceedings before residents head to the polls.

The party fears that if Ndzwanana remains in his seat, the coalition could force through long-term financial decisions that would bind the incoming administration, weaken the metro's institutions, and further strain Tshwane's fragile finances.

"The coalition must not be allowed to use the Office of the Speaker to mortgage Tshwane’s future during its final months in office," Brink said.

"Residents deserve the opportunity to elect a new government in November without inheriting the consequences of corruption."