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City of Joburg to elect new Speaker as DA councilor, chair of chairs nominated
The voting process will start when City councillors return from lunch break at 1:30pm.
City of Joburg council chambers. Picture: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Thulani Mbele
The City of Johannesburg is set to elect a new council Speaker to replace ousted Vasco da Gama on Wednesday.
The metropolitan municipality is currently holding its eighth extraordinary council meeting, with the voting process expected to begin after lunch break.
Proceedings will resume at 1:30pm.
Before the adjournment, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, Nonhlanhla Sifumba nominated councillor Alex Christians, while MMC for Health Eunice Mncina picked chair of chairs, Colleen Makhubele for the position.
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Earlier this month, Makhubele attempted to convene a special council meeting to elect a new council Speaker.
The meeting, however, was interdicted after the City filed an urgent court application to stop the council from happening.
The Johannesburg High Court had ruled that Makhubele had no authority to convene a council meeting as she was not elected as acting Speaker.
Following the court ruling, the Congress of the People (Cope) interim provincial committee suspended Makhubele with immediate effect, pending the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
But Makhubele, who was suspended from all council duties and activities, insisted that she was not going anywhere because she has the support of the party’s national leadership.
Da Gama
Da Gama was ousted by 136 votes last month, after the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) tabled a motion of no-confidence.
The motion was backed by the African National Congress (ANC), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and other smaller parties in council.
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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has since laid charges against ANC for allegedly bribing council members to vote out Da Gama.
The DA has accused the ANC and EFF of trying to destabilise the multi-party coalition government in Johannesburg.
Joburg mayor
Once the Speaker is elected, minority parties are planning to have the Joburg mayor, Mpho Phalatse removed from her position with a motion of confidence.
They have suggested that the mayor has failed in her duties.
Phalatse has been accused of corruption and maladministration, which relates to a payment made to a non-profit organisation (NGO) without authorisation of the council.
The NGO, Field Band Foundation, provided services to the metropolitan municipality for more than R11 million in 2017.
Meanwhile, the Joburg mayor has also been accused of concealing evidence related to equipment the City allegedly bought illegally.
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