Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana has been ousted from his position following a council vote.
The decision, supported by 47 councillors, outnumbered the 32 in favor of his retention.
Also read: Uncertainty surrounds fate of Ekurhuleni mayor and Speaker facing votes of no confidence
Both the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) abstained from the voting process, revealing a complex political landscape surrounding Ngodwana’s tenure.
The outcome of the vote marks a significant shift in the municipality’s leadership, sparking discussions about the future trajectory of Ekurhuleni under new governance.
Also read: Mayor lives to fight another day
The council meeting witnessed a tense atmosphere as motions of no confidence were brought against Mayor Ngodwana and Council Speaker Nthabiseng Tshivhenga. ActionSA initiated the motion against Ngodwana, which has been looming over the past three council meetings amidst interruptions.
Simultaneously the DA filed a motion against Tshivhenga, accusing her of shielding EFF councillors accused of assaulting ANC members during a previous session in February.
Siyanda Makhubo, leader of the ActionSA caucus, viewed these motions as opportunities to challenge the ANC-EFF administration at the municipal level.
Council proceedings faced delays as the ANC called for a 30-minute caucus. Tensions escalated as the ANC pushed to prioritise specific agenda items before addressing the pending motions.
However, the DA argued against altering the meeting’s order once commenced. Despite objections, the speaker ruled in favour of reshuffling the agenda.
While the ANC withdrew its amendments, the DA requested consideration for theirs.
However, ActionSA rejects the proposed amendments from both parties, fearing potential disruptions to council proceedings due to their changes.
Update at 17.15:
Tshivhenvga survived the motion of no confidence tabled by the DA.
