Latest news with #CilliersBrink
IOL News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
DA celebrates by-election victories as ActionSA focuses on 2026 campaign
DA caucus leader Cilliers Brink slammed ActionSA for boycotting the recent by-elections in Tshwane, despite the party holding the mayoral seat in the city. Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers ActionSA has defended its decision not to contest three recent by-elections in the City of Tshwane, citing financial constraints as the reason for this. The party has reportedly not participated in by-elections in the city since November 2023, opting instead to conserve resources for the 2026 local government election campaign. ActionSA abstained from taking part in the two by-elections contested in Tshwane on Wednesday in wards 44 and 98, prompting Brink to criticise the party 'which currently holds the mayoral position in the city' for failing to participate. Brink also suggested that many former ActionSA voters in Ward 98, Pretoria North, have switched their allegiance to the DA. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ In response, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said: 'ActionSA is not as well funded with public monies as the DA is and has therefore taken a view to limit by-election contestation in favour of mounting a local government election campaign.' He also pointed out that the DA seems to follow a similar strategy by not contesting by-elections in townships, where ActionSA could potentially make significant gains. He further accused Brink of being fixated on ActionSA, possibly due to his record as a failed mayor being exposed. He dismissed the claim that ActionSA voters are switching to the DA, citing the record-low voter turnout in both by-elections as evidence to the contrary. The DA, however, celebrated its victories in the two by-elections, with Brink saying that the results boost the party's confidence ahead of the 2026 local government election. He said the DA's vote share grew significantly in both wards, with Ward 98 seeing an increase from 37.5% in the 2024 National and Provincial Election to 72.77% in 2025, and Ward 44 growing from 74.3% to 88.07% over the same period. 'We do not take a single vote for granted, and will continue our work as an effective opposition to the ANC coalition in Tshwane,' he said. The DA candidates, Samantha de la Rey for Ward 44 and Mickey van der Westhuizen for Ward 98, emerged victorious after facing off against candidates from the EFF and the ANC.
The Citizen
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
City of Tshwane accused of sabotaging citizen-led initiatives
Freedom Front Plus and AfriForum claim the the City of Tshwane is punishing residents for fixing potholes and cutting grass. Government must realise it is part of society and doesn't dominate society, is the clear message to the city of Tshwane which wants to block AfriForum's help with service delivery issues. 'It should allow communities, including businesses, to assist with delivering public goods – and that includes helping where the state is clearly failing,' said Cilliers Brink, the leader of the DA and former mayor of Tshwane. 'When we and our coalition partners were in power, we established a community upliftment project where folks could sign an agreement with the municipality to fix street lights, to look after parks, to do the things that the city under financial distress struggles to do. 'These community upliftment projects are a good thing, it's good for property values which is good for the municipality because it means that our resources can stretch further,' he added. Cooperation agreement Brink said his coalition joined hands with initiatives such as the Moot Project and concluded a cooperation agreement with AfriForum for grass cutting. 'Inevitably government and these organisations will tussle on a few things, but sign cooperation agreements and work together and create rules to government the relationship,' he said. AfriForum district coordinator for the Greater Pretoria South region Arno Roodt said AfriForum will continue with their community projects across Pretoria. City accused of undermining public participation 'The city has placed itself in opposition to its own residents – specifically those who step in where the city fails in its duties. 'We see this time and time again, where residents and AfriForum put their shoulder to the wheel to address the city's issues themselves, and action is taken against them rather than working with them,' he said. ALSO READ: Tshwane goes to court in bid to douse volunteer firefighting services 'Section 152(1)(e) of the constitution places a duty on municipalities to promote community participation, not to hinder it. It is not a choice or a favour – it is a constitutional requirement. Volunteer efforts met with police threats 'When a city not only fails to deliver a service but also tries to punish those who want to help, we are undermining the entire concept of local government. And this cannot be left unchallenged. 'How many times has Tshwane tried to stop us? Several times.' Roodt said community projects have been unnecessarily delayed or thwarted and, in some cases, volunteers and action teams have been stopped by metro police, fined and threatened with arrest for contravention of municipal bylaws or working on municipal property without permission 'when they were simply clearing sidewalks, repairing potholes and cleaning stormwater drains'. Political coalition blamed for sabotage Freedom Front Plus' Grandi Theunissen slammed the current ANC-EFF-ActionSA coalition in charge of the capital, accusing them of sabotaging community self-reliance. 'Instead of embracing this spirit of Ubuntu and shared responsibility, the ruling coalition responds with political spite, legal intimidation and punitive policies. 'Let's call it what it is: a governing bloc that fears accountability, resents initiative and punishes excellence. 'We call on the Tshwane council and national departments to abandon this destructive posture and instead codify supportive frameworks for community-led service delivery,' he said. NOW READ: Pothole crisis: Tshwane mayor blames rain for municipality not fixing crumbling roads
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Metro wins in Labour Court over wage increase dispute
The metro has secured a legal victory in the Labour Court, effectively nullifying the enforcement of a 5.4% salary increase for municipal workers as stipulated in a collective agreement. Judge AJ Snyman delivered the judgment on May 10, siding with the municipality's assertion of financial incapacity to fulfil the wage hike obligations. The legal battle goes back to a 2021 dispute when the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) mandated a salary increment for that year. The metro, citing budgetary constraints, failed to implement the increase, leading to a compliance order and subsequent protests in 2023. These demonstrations, marked by disruptions in waste collection and municipal bus services, spanned three months and resulted in damage and vandalism to city infrastructure. In his ruling, the judge acknowledged the city's financial hardships, emphasising that the municipality's request for exemption from the collective agreement was justified, given its economic challenges. The court's decision effectively rejects the unions' demands for the wage increase, highlighting the importance of fiscal responsibility in municipal governance. DA Tshwane caucus leader, Cilliers Brink, welcomed the court's decision, saying that it allows the city to use funds towards stabilising finances and enhancing service delivery. 'The council's decision to apply for exemption was very difficult and was not made to spite or punish employees. The exemption application was essential to the financial rescue mission in Tshwane,' Brink remarked. He further noted that the R600-million saved has facilitated a debt settlement agreement with Eskom and will enable future investments in essential services. Grandi Theunissen, leader of the Freedom Front Plus in Tshwane, also expressed approval of the Labour Court's ruling. He criticised the SALGBC for unfairly dismissing the city's exemption applications and highlighted the VF Plus' commitment to responsible financial management during its tenure in the previous coalition government. 'The Labour Court also found that the SALGBC did not give the metro a fair opportunity to present its case and that the financial information was misinterpreted,' Theunissen said. However, the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) has expressed strong opposition to the Labour Court judgment. The union contends that the decision undermines collective bargaining, a fundamental right of workers. They argue that the court overstepped its authority by substituting the SALGBC6s decision with its own, thereby setting a dangerous precedent. The union also asserts that this move threatens the autonomy of bargaining councils and could embolden other municipalities to avoid honouring wage agreements by citing unverified financial distress. Nkhetheni Muthavhi, deputy general secretary of SAMWU, criticised the court for disregarding critical evidence presented during arbitration, including an independent financial expert's report confirming the metro's ability to afford the agreed-upon wage increases. 'The union would like to emphasise that the adverse impact of this judgment will have on workers, especially amid rising living costs,' said Muthavhi. He argued that the court decision prioritises the metro's fiscal arguments over the constitutional rights and well-being of the workers. In response, the union is at present exploring legal avenues, including appeals to the Labour Appeal Court or the Constitutional Court, to challenge what they perceive as judicial overreach and misapplication of affordability criteria. The union also condemned the metro management of the time for creating the financial crisis through mismanagement and pursuing a political agenda that attacks workers' rights. He also commented on the present coalition government. 'It is important to emphasise that the new administration inherited and regrettably, continued the DA's witch hunt against workers, prioritising the DA's inherent animosity towards workers and neglecting the needs and livelihoods of those who serve this city,' said Muthavhi. 'We will not allow workers to bear the brunt of mismanagement and judicial bias. This judgment represents a setback, but we remain resolute in our commitment to defending workers' rights.' The union said that it plans to brief shop stewards and convene mass meetings with members to provide updates and determine the way forward. 'The union urges all members to remain united and vigilant as they continue to fight for their rights through all available legal and collective channels,' said Muthavhi. The metro was approached for comment, but none had been received at the time of publication. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
