Africa-Press – South-Africa. Cope councillor Murunwa Makwarela has been elected mayor of Tshwane.
Makwarela, who serves as council Speaker, received 112 votes beating DA councillor Cilliers Brink who was supported by the DA and coalition partners. Brink received 101 votes.
Makwarela’s name was nominated by the African Transformation Movement, which had caucused with the EFF and the ANC. He is a Cope member and his party is still viewed as a member of the DA coalition.
The election was held by secret ballot. It was held following the resignation of DA councillor Randall Williams earlier this month.
The election of Makwarela stunned some present in the council chambers. Heading into the meeting, the DA and its coalition partners – the ACDP, Freedom Front Plus, Cope and ActionSA – were confident of winning a majority.
Makwarela’s election victory means he received support from the ANC, EFF and smaller opposition political parties as well as some votes from the DA’s own coalition partners.
Tshwane was viewed as the most stable DA coalition government after the coalition lost control of the City of Johannesburg in January.
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