‘I cleaned up the ANC’s mess’

Outgoing Tshwane executive mayor Solly Msimanga has described himself as Mr Fix It‚ claiming in his resignation letter that he cleaned up the mess created by the previous ANC administration.

In his letter submitted to Tshwane council speaker Katlego Mathebe‚ Msimanga lambasted the ANC, saying it had “squandered” the city’s coffers and that he had to clean up the mess.

Msimanga’s resignation is effective from February 11.

He says in the letter that his two-and-a-half years in office were a success.

One success was uncovering the squandering of more than R1.5bn by the previous ANC government, he says.

Moreover‚ he says he sold the “mayoral mansion previously used by the ANC government” for R5m and used the money to build 40 RDP houses.

“After inheriting a R2bn operating-deficit municipality‚ the DA-led government tried its best to serve the people of this capital city‚” he says.

“The list of the work we have done is endless‚ however the true test of our term is the impact we have made on the lives of our VIPs‚ the residents of Tshwane.”

He urged Gauteng residents to rally behind him in the race for the province’s premiership ahead of the upcoming general elections‚ saying his Tshwane track record proved that he could run a clean government.

ANC caucus chief whip Aaron Maluleka said Msimanga’s resignation had not followed the proper process as he had first announced it to the media two weeks ago.

“The executive mayor cannot resign in a press conference. He disrespected council‚” Maluleka said.

“The mayor must follow process in a form of a report.”