Suspension of municipal services after motion of no confidence in mayor fails
Middelburg residents should brace for another strike after a motion of no confidence in Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela failed dismally on Friday.
Four members of the EFF tabled the motion of no confidence, which could not even make it out of the starting blocks for debate due to a number of technical discrepancies in regards to council’s standing rules and orders.
According to the rules and orders a special council sitting may only be called by a majority of council, or Mayor Masilela.
The meeting must also be chaired by the Speaker of council, which was not the case Friday with the meeting having been convened by Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni.
On these grounds, Speaker Thomas Mpye nullified the sitting.
Employees demand the removal of Mayor Masilela following the fatal shooting of a municipal colleague at the civic centre during the previous strike.
Solid waste vehicles is once again blocking public access to the municipality since early this morning.
Employees reporting for duty were ordered to leave the buildings, while Mayor Masilela was also removed from office for a second time.
Employees are gathered outside the civic centre and services has ground to a halt for the umpteenth time since September last year.
Residents should avoid the municipality until further notice.
