Please click here for the recording.
Today during the course of the Tshwane Council, the EFF and Action SA circulated a recording of an internal Tshwane meeting that I chaired, clearly de-contextualised with the aim of discrediting and smearing me as Executive Mayor.
This dishonest act was disturbing as it came from one of the coalition partners in the city, Action SA, who are attempting to frame the recording as some indictment against me.
The recording itself is attached to this statement, it is 90 minutes long and I invite all residents to listen to it. I have nothing to hide.
The meeting in question took place a year ago. It was chaired by me and included officials from the City Manager’s Office, Mayor’s Office, Electricity Department, Chief Operations Cluster and Communications among others.
The intention of the meeting was to workshop and brainstorm an investment proposal that had been received by the city. The proposal sought to re-purpose the city’s coal power plants which have not been used since 2014 and convert them to use gas. The intention being to generate over 800 Megawatts of power over the long term and the estimated amount of direct investment was R26 billion. A solution that could end loadshedding in our city.
For an hour and half, myself and officials discussed how to approach this matter within the confines of local government legislation and the law so that we follow due process. No unlawful instructions were given. By the end of this we agreed on the way forward, a process which has taken us a year but resulted in us bringing a public participation report on this matter to Council today.
Yet today Action SA and their EFF allies have sought to accuse me of corruption, smear my name and most disturbing to me undermine governance in the city. I encourage them to share that recording that they so cling to, so that people can hear how we diligently workshop matters in Tshwane. I will also be consulting my attorneys with a view to take action against the individuals who have defamed me.
Nonetheless the DA and I will continue to strive to end loadshedding in our city, protect our residents and uphold the rule of law.