Joburg motion of no confidence: ActionSA ‘ready to sacrifice’ as DA responds to claims about Gwamanda’s return

One of the ANC’s biggest allies in Gauteng, ActionSA, says it will abstain from a motion of no confidence vote against Joburg Mayor Dada Morero — even if it means losing an influential position in council

Morero, Council Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu and Council Whip Sithembiso Zungu all face motions of no confidence votes set down for Thursday and Friday.

ActionSA provincial leader Funzi Ngobeni told reporters on Wednesday that the party cannot defend a mayor with a questionable track record.

“ActionSA will not vote to defend this indefensible track record, especially when basic governance matters are being mishandled without consultation.

“The announcement of the ‘Bomb Squad’ has lacked credibility as a gimmick, and the city has failed to recruit senior managers, opting instead for acting arrangements involving questionable characters in perpetuity,” he said.

Will the ANC retaliate?

Ngobeni said he is aware that the ANC might retaliate and vote against Council Speaker Mthembu, who is an ActionSA member.

“This decision was taken with full knowledge that ActionSA’s refusal will likely result in the ANC retaliating against the ActionSA speaker in the motion tabled against her,” he said.

However, he said the party is willing to live with the consequences of its actions.

“ActionSA will never compromise the interests of Johannesburg residents for positions,” he said.

Meanwhile, DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku expressed hope that parties and individuals who pledged to support the motion against Morero will follow through on their commitment.

“A day is a long time in politics. We cannot predict what will happen. It could be that some councillors were so badly intimidated that they are now forced to abstain,” she said.

Kayser-Echeozonjoku claimed that the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) have both agreed to support the motion.

Will Gwamanda return as mayor?

Kayser-Echeozonjoku rubbished claims that the DA had plans to bring back disgraced former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda as the mayor of Johannesburg should the motion of no confidence against Morero succeed.

Gwamanda also denied these claims.

ALSO READ: ‘Joburg is in free fall’ — Next month could be make or break for Mayor Dada Morero

ANC ready to fend off motion

Al Jama-ah is one of the ANC’s government of local unity (GLU) partners in the city that has lobbied to help them fend off the motion against Morero.

How many votes to boot out Morero?

The DA will need 136 votes for their motion to pass.   

The ANC is the biggest party in the council with 91 seats, they are followed by the DA with 71 seats and ActionSA with 44 seats.

The EFF has 29 seats, the PA has 8 seats, and the IFP has seven seats.

The FF Plus and the ACDP both have four seats, while Al Jama-ah has three seats and the African Independent Congress (AIC) has two seats.

The remaining six parties all have one seat each.

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