Political parties gear up for new bid to oust mayor
The EFF and its alliance said they are opposed to the mayor’s removal.
Political parties in Ekurhuleni are gearing up for a new bid to oust Ekurhuleni Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana during the monthly council meeting, to be held on March 28 at the Germiston chambers.
During the previous council meeting, the ANC, DA, and other smaller parties indicated they backed the motion against the mayor. Opposed to the no-confidence motion against the mayor were the EFF red berets and its political alliance.
As part of the motion of no confidence brought forward by ActionSA, this will be the third attempt to remove Ngodwana (AIC) from his position.
During the second attempt to remove him on March 12, the ANC brought an amendment to the no-confidence motion against the mayor, proposing the council adopt a resolution that will see the party with the most seats in the council take the mayoral position, a proposal the EFF opposed.
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DA caucus leader Tania Campbell, previously removed from the mayoral position through a motion of no confidence, suggested it was time for the council to consider a motion leading to its dissolution. This is a proposal that could send voters back to the ballot box.
However, the move to remove the mayor proved unsuccessful because the speaker of the council, Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, had, following the lengthy debate over the proposals, deferred the vote for and against the removal of the mayor because she needed more time to seek a legal opinion on amendments to the motion.
To pave the way for the third attempt, the ANC in Ekurhuleni has withdrawn its proposed amendment to the tabled motion of no confidence.
Media liaison officer for ANC in Ekurhuleni Thabang Mashiane confirmed the party had withdrawn its amendment to the motion.
He said the party did this because the ANC deemed it proper to withdraw its proposal to allow the motion, as proposed by Action SA, to continue without anything that could be used as barriers.
“The ultimate strategic posture remains. That is to remove the mayor. And we remain firm in our position to see change. Change must and will happen,” said Mashiane.
The ANC Youth League in Ekurhuleni has long been critical of the relationship its party has with the EFF following the removal of Campbell.
During the previous council meeting, ANC Youth League members demonstrated outside the chambers, calling for the removal of the mayor and the Ekurhuleni finance MMC, the EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga.
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