ANC makes moves to invade Joburg Council

Emboldened by their triumph in getting Congress of the People’s (Cope) Colleen Makhubela elected as speaker of the Joburg City Council, the opposition coalition has apparently set its sights on removing Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor Mpho Phalatse.

Phalatse could face a motion of no confidence today, brought by the ANC and its allies, who are in opposition to the DA-led governing coalition.

Effectively beaten in the municipal elections, the ANC has joined up with its allies to try to thwart the city government.

The election of Makhubela was the latest victory for the opposition after it forced the ouster of her predecessor as speaker, Vasco da Gama of the DA.

Her triumph came about because she defied her own party and accepted the speaker nomination by the ANC and its new partner in opposition, Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance.

Cope national spokesperson Dennis Bloem said Makhubela’s decision “really undermined the governing coalition agreement” which his party, through its president Mosiuoa Lekota, had signed.

Makhubela’s claim that she was mandated by the regional structure of Cope to stand for speakership held no water because the coalition agreement was signed at national level by Lekota and no regional or provincial leader had signed it, therefore it was binding on all levels.

Asked what action Cope would take against Makhubela, Bloem said Cope’s congress national committee (CNC) would have to look into the matter.

“The CNC has to discuss this thing because it has to do with the integrity and honesty of the party… Anybody who signed an agreement must honour that agreement.

This has a really serious impact on the integrity of Cope,” Bloem said.

The motion to elect Makhubela was not only backed by the ANC but, in its traditional fashion to flip-flop between the opposition and the governing coalition, the Patriotic Alliance voted with the ANC, instead of supporting the position of the governing coalition of which it was part.

After Makhubela’s election, it became clear that Phalatse’s future as mayor hung in the balance. She would be the next target after her fellow party member Da Gama was removed with a vote of no confidence recently.

But the multiparty governing coalition, comprising the DA, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, Cope, African Christian Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party and the United Independent Movement, stood together to support the mayor.

While they accepted Makhubela’s election as speaker, the coalition expressed disappointment at her decision, which was contrary to Cope’s position in the council to stand with the governing coalition.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Dr Corné Mulder said Makhubela had been deployed to the council by Cope, which undertook to provide an alternative to the ANC.

Makhubela’s willingness to return the Joburg council to the ANC was a “betrayal” and meant to serve her personal interests, not those of the local residents.

Phalatse was more conciliatory as she welcomed Makhubela’s election. She offered to cooperate with her and hold her accountable if she did not act in the interest of residents. The ANC-led opposition seems intent on raising a similar no-confidence motion against Phalatse and ousting her using the same tactics they used against Da Gama.

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