Politics

Cope’s Murunwa Makwarela Celebrates Reinstatement As City of Tshwane Mayor After Insolvency Issue Cleared

Thursday, March 09, 2023 at 4:34 PM by Lerato Mutsila

Murunwa Makwarela is back at the helm of the City of Tshwane after being reinstated as a councillor
Makwarela was booted from the position after the DA split the beans that he was declared insolvent in 2016
The embattled politician retook the mayoral position by proving he is a rehabilitated insolvent

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TSHWANE - Embattled Cope councillor Murunwa Makwarela is not above telling his detractors, "I told you so."

Murunwa Makwarela has been reinstated as the Tshwane mayor — Murunwa Makwarela has celebrated his reinstatement as Mayor of the City of Tshwane. Image: @tshwane_mayor & @antonnies
Source: Twitter

Makwarela took a victory lap of Twitter upon his reinstatement as Tshwane mayor after proving that he is a rehabilitated insolvent.

The reinstated mayor's tweet said:

"I’m pleased that this matter has been cleared up. I’ve said all along that I remain the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane."

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IEC disqualified Tshwane mayor for failing to prove solvency

Makwarela was disqualified as a councillor on Tuesday, 7 March, after failing to prove to the Tshwane council that he was a rehabilitated insolvent.

Makwarela was sequestrated in August 2016. The Constitution dictates that a person who has been declared insolvent is prohibited from holding a position in public office.

Murenwa Makwarela is back in office as Tshwane mayor in under 2 days

However, the Tshwane mayor cleared the issue up by providing the Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) with a solvency certificate which was accepted on Thursday, 9 March.

The solvency clearance certificate showed that Makwarela was rehabilitated in 2018, News24 reported.

Subsequently, after a turbulent two days in the Tshwane city council, Makwarela is back in office and his full mayoral benefits have been reinstated.

South Africans weigh in on the political turbulence in the City of Tshwane

This is what Citizens had to say about Makwarela's reinstatement.

@MatlouMatlou said:

"This is a merry-go-round. Hopefully, he will be paid enough to honour all outstanding debts."

@Piet_PompiesSA claimed:

"I think that the document now produced needs authentication ASAP."

@KgosiKoketso commented:

"The media will call him 'Former insolvent Mayor (Dr) Makwarela' until he leaves office."

@kabelodick asked:

"I wonder how much that certificate cost, knowing this country I can put myself as a father on the birth certificate of someone older than me."

@Kolavic_ added:

"So he did tell the truth in his interview with 702. Good for him."

@Nonki_M complained:

"Really can’t keep up anymore."

City of Tshwane says employee who sent insulting and threatening text messages to customers has been suspended

In a related story, Briefly News reported that City of Tswhane residents were surprised to open their text messages about outstanding fees laced with insults toward the end of February.