Congress of the People (COPE) councillor Dr Murunwa Makwarela has been reinstated as the City of Tshwane mayor with immediate effect after he provided proof of his rehabilitation certificate. This follows claims that he was an unrehabilitated insolvent and should not have been elected a councillor. 

MAYORAL VACANCY WITHDRAWN

In a statement, city manager Johann Mettler confirmed that he received a notice of solvency rehabilitation from Makwarela on Thursday morning. "The city manager has subsequently informed the Gauteng Provincial electoral officer of the IEC to immediately withdraw the declaration of a vacancy for the COPE councillor. Accordingly, all the benefits and perks accorded to Dr Makwarela as the executive mayor of the City of Tshwane have forthwith been reinstated,' Mettler said. 

DISQUALIFIED

 On Tuesday, Mettler wrote to IEC informing him of a casual vacancy which had occurred at the city following the disqualification of Dr Makwarela as the mayor of the city. Makwarela was disqualified a week after he was elected mayor after it was discovered that he was declared insolvent in 2016. He was disqualified in terms of Section 47(1)(C) of the Constitution, which states people who are unrehabilitated insolvent cannot hold public office as a councillor. Makwarela who was the city Speaker was elected through a secret ballot after he was nominated for the position by the African Transformational Movement (ATM). Makwarela received 112 votes against 101 received by the DA's Cilliers Brink, who resigned from Parliament as an MP to take up a seat in the council. 

RELIEVED

 In a short statement, Dr Makwarela said he was pleased that the matter has been cleared up. "I have said all along that I remain the executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane,' he said.