For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: DA, coalition partners choose MP Cilliers Brink as Tshwane mayoral candidate; Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela has resigned; And, Former eThekwini Mayor joins ActionSA litigation against municipality

 

DA, coalition partners choose MP Cilliers Brink as Tshwane mayoral candidate

Democratic Alliance MP Cilliers Brink is the party's preferred candidate for Tshwane mayor. 

Former mayor Randall Williams resigned last week, forcing the DA and its coalition partners to seek a replacement. 

It is understood that DA leader John Steenhuisen presented Brink's name at a meeting the DA and its coalition partners held today.

According to the coalition agreement, the DA holds the prerogative when it comes to the candidate who should be selected as mayor. 

The party interviewed eight of its members for the role and Brink was chosen.

He currently serves as a member of Parliament and a spokesperson for the DA on cooperative governance and traditional affairs. 

 

Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela has resigned

African National Congress Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has confirmed that Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela has informed him that she intended to resign.

Mbalula addressed the media today on the outcomes of a special national executive committee meeting on Monday. However, he said coming into the briefing that he had yet to receive Ntombela's resignation letter.

News reports say Ntombela, who lost out as chairperson at the recently held ANC Free State elective conference, handed over her resignation letter today, to the newly elected provincial executive committee.

 

And, Former eThekwini Mayor joins ActionSA litigation against municipality

Abantu Batho Congress President and former eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla announced today that he is joining ActionSA as a friend of the court as the party takes the eThekwini Municipality, run by the African National Congress, to court for failing to repair and replace sewerage infrastructure.

Recent news reports have highlighted the spillage of raw sewage into rivers and estuaries and, ultimately, the ocean.

Mavundla addressed the media outside the Durban City Hall, where he was joined by ActionSA Provincial Chairperson Zwakele Mncwango, and where he apologised to the residents of eThekwini for letting them down by voting with the ANC.

He noted that the Metro has 27 wastewater treatment works, of which 24 have no operating licenses, 17 have been run into the ground, and two are no longer being reported on as its mechanical and electrical equipment is no longer functional.

He said it took a year to convince eThekwini officials that at least R1-billion was required to work on fixing the aged infrastructure and went on to dismiss claims that the Municipality is making progress in repairing the infrastructure.

ActionSA says that of the budget that was allocated to the Metro, eThekwini spent less than 7% of it on aging and damaged infrastructure.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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