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Motion of no confidence against Ekurhuleni mayor delayed: EFF-ANC negotiating
The DA had also proposed a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of Council.
City of Ekurhuleni council meeting Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
The DA in the City of Ekurhuleni has accused the ANC and the EFF of delaying the motion of no confidence vote against the mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni, Sivuyile Ngodwana.
Motion delayed
The council meeting was marred by chaos, with protests outside and disorder inside the council chambers being the order of the day.
The DA staged a walk out of council citing that the meeting was illegal. The party accused the Speaker of Council Nthabiseng Tshivenga of starting another council meeting to deal with outstanding reports instead of resuming with the motion of no confidence on the mayor.
In an interview with Newsroom Afrika, the DA’s Michael Waters said the ANC and the EFF were renegotiating.
“The ANC and the EFF are playing for time. They are trying to renegotiate their deal. The ANC is scared of the threats of Julius Malema that if they lose Ekurhuleni they will get kicked out of Johannesburg and other metros,” Waters said.
ALSO READ: ANC rethinks Ekurhuleni coalition with EFF
Waters said the DA would go back inside council chambers for the motion of no confidence vote.
“Once the extraordinary council meeting is concluded we will be going in to conclude the ordinary meeting of the 29th. We will be participating in the motion of no confidence against the mayor,” he said.
Waters said the DA was calling for fresh elections in the City of Ekurhuleni. He said this was the only solution to solve the stalemate among political parties.
The DA had also proposed a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of Council. This would be debated at the end of March.
ALSO READ: Opposition parties in another attempt to remove Ekurhuleni mayor
Party leaders present
It was clear that the leaders of different parties had interest in the motion of no confidence against the mayor of Ekurhuleni. Among guests in council chambers was the ANC Gauteng top brass, Panyaza Lesufi and Tk Nciza. The EFF’s deputy president Floyd Shivambu and ActionSA’s provincial leader Funzi Ngobeni were also present.
It is believed that the outcome of the vote will affect local politics in Johannesburg, where a proxy mayor has also been appointed.
