The DA in Tshwane has failed in its bid to remove Council Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana, who survived a motion of no confidence during an ordinary council meeting held on Thursday.

The motion tabled by the DA secured only 82 votes, falling short of the majority needed.

A total of 114 councillors from the governing multiparty coalition voted against the motion, while one councillor abstained.

The DA had accused Ndzwanana of partiality and misconduct in his role as chairperson of Council proceedings.

According to DA Chief Whip Ofentse Madzebatela, the party believes the Speaker consistently fails to uphold the rules and fairness expected in the Council.

“The Speaker makes his rulings based on emotion, not logic or Council rules,” said Madzebatela.

“This conduct undermines the ability of councillors to participate equally in meetings.”

“His discriminatory behaviour has reached a point where parties outside the governing coalition are no longer given a fair hearing in council meetings,” Madzebatela added.

He said the Speaker has been at the helm of a new administration that brought oversight to a complete halt towards the end of 2024.

“For a period of almost four months, committee meetings of the Council failed to take place, either being postponed or cancelled. It was only after the DA’s public outcry in this regard that some sort of stability prevailed and committee meetings were resuscitated in February.”

Despite the failed motion, the DA maintains it will continue to hold the Speaker accountable for what it views as an abuse of his position.

MMC for Housing and Human Settlements Aaron Maluleka described the motion brought by the DA as baseless.

“They are hypocrites of the highest order you can find in the market.”

“The DA don’t understand democracy; to them, it’s all about expediency and the motion has nothing to do with Ndzwanana, but it deals with the DA’s ego,” said Maluleka.

Maluleka further praised the Speaker, citing that he had been very good and had handled very difficult Council meetings with rules and the law.

ActionSA Gauteng provincial chairperson Funzi Ngobeni said the motion of no confidence is nothing short of a desperate and transparent attempt by the DA to destabilise another coalition government that is beginning to demonstrate real signs of progress and stability after years of dysfunction.

“The irony of the situation is glaring. The current Speaker was elected with DA support in direct contravention of the coalition agreement in place at the time,” said Ngobeni.

He added that the DA had every opportunity to correct this and did not. Former Mayor Cilliers Brink governed alongside this Speaker without issue.

“Only now, as the city shows real progress under a renewed coalition mandate, does the DA raise objections, revealing the opportunism that has come to define their conduct.”

Ndzwanana dismissed the claims by the DA.

“The rulings that I make in all Council sittings are not based on emotions. The accusations are baseless. As the champion of oversight and holding the Executive accountable, I conduct the meetings of Council in accordance with the Rules of Order By-law.”

Ndzwanana said he would like to categorically deny that opposition parties are being silenced in Council meetings.

“In fact, there is no political party in the Council that is being silenced. It’s my duty to be fair and impartial when managing debates.”

He said with regards to the failed motion of no confidence against him, Tshwane residents have seen the outcome.

“Like I said, the truth will prevail, and indeed it prevailed. In conclusion, I am ready to continue with the task as the Speaker to preside over the Council in a fair and consistent manner. Allowing all members of the Council, within the Rule of Council, to engage in a debate and not suppress any member who wants to deliberate. I reiterate the fact that I have not and will never run the Council along political lines,” he continued.

EFF councillor and MMC for Health Tshegofatso Mashabela dismissed the DA’s motion as a baseless and senseless attack on the Speaker.

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