Motion of no confidence in Executive Mayor postponed
The second motion of no confidence in the Executive Mayor of the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, Mhlonishwa Masilela, was postponed during a special council sitting, which was held from 11:00 and ended at 15:00 today.
The motion failed due to Mayor Masilela being sick at home after he submitted a sick note before the sitting.
The item was not debated despite the council having powers in terms of the standing rules of order for the sitting to continue in the absence of the mayor.
The Municipal Systems Act, however, obligates the municipal manager to advise the council on legalities regarding items on the agenda.
Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni said the council’s rules of order guarantee Mayor Masilela the right to defend himself and therefore advised the council to keep the matter in abeyance until the mayor can be present to exercise his right to defend himself against allegations of poor leadership, as tabled in the motion by the Middelburg and Hendrina Residents Front.
Mr Mnguni further said that the bylaws, which include standing rules of order, do not supersede the Constitution, which also enshrines Mayor Masilela’s rights to defend himself.
The motion of no confidence will be debated at the next council sitting, the date of which will be determined by Speaker Thato Mathunyane of the MHRF.
• The motion of no confidence tabled by the MHRF follows the EFF’s previous attempts to bounce Mayor Masilela from the office, after tabling a motion of no confidence in October 2022.
