The third time seems to be the charm for Cllr. Cilliers Brink, following his 109 out of 211 votes win against his opponent, Cllr. Ofentse Moalusi.

Following his first defeat for the position against the embattled former Cope Councillor, Dr. Murnunwas Makwarela, Brink made it known of his party’s intentions to keep a close eye on Makwarela, adding that those in the DA-led coalition who voted with the opposition, would be dealt with accordingly.

With weeks of political turmoil within the Council, from the resignation of Makwarela to the failed tabling of a motion of no-confidence against the Speaker of Council, Mncedi Mdzwanana, that took place yesterday, many questioned whether the mayor would indeed be elected today.

However, with the moved deadline for the passing of the Adjustment Budget as well as mounting pressure from various entities and sectors, today was the date for the council.

With 213 Councillors being declared eligible to vote in today’s election, only 209 Councillors voted, whilst two abstained.

According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), no ballots were spoilt in this election, which was refreshing following the recent vote for the Speaker of Council, which saw DA-councillors attempt to cheat the secret ballot voting system.

Cilliers Brink secured a total of 109 votes, which equates to his entire coalition bench. This is in comparison to his competitor, the new Congress of the People (Cope) Councillor, Ofentse Moalusi, who clenched 102 votes.

In his acceptance speech, Brink expressed his intention to build a city that works for all its people, adding that a compromise on service delivery would result in the multi-party coalition losing the trust of its people.

Meanwhile, members of the opposition have since weighed in on Brink's election with some offering words of encouragement and congratulations following his win. However, the EFF issued a stern warning to him regarding his attempt to remove the Speaker of the Council.

A party member was heard saying, “you touch our speaker, we're coming for you”, adding that the Speaker should reject any motion tabled against him.

Despite this, ActionSA released a statement expressing that the “multi-party coalition remains committed to urgent legal action relating to the refusal of the Speaker to allow a motion of no confidence to be considered”, adding that its legal team is set to submit court papers on Thursday.

The next order of business will see the new Executive Mayor-elect a new Mayoral Committee which will assist in various sectors of work, including the management of the City’s finances.

This is crucial, as many residents remain without basic services and some municipal workers awaiting their outstanding salaries.