ANC in push to unseat Mashaba as Joburg mayor
‘Desperate ploy to get back to looting’
Herman Mashaba’s future as the Johannesburg mayor hangs in the balance.
This after the ANC Johannesburg caucus filed two motions of no confidence against him and the speaker of the Johannesburg council, Vasco da Gama.
At the centre of the political storm is the decision by Mashaba to issue a media statement on two motions the ANC had submitted.
Yesterday, ANC Johannesburg region spokesman Jolidee Matongo said the issuing of a media statement was against the rules of the council.
“Council rules state that documents remain embargoed until they are deliberated on at the council meeting which is open to the public or immediately after discussions at the council meeting.”
Matongo said the ANC would write to Da Gama to request him to refer Mashaba to the ethics committee to face disciplinary action for contravening the rules of council.
An unperturbed Mashaba dismissed the motion, saying it was an antic of a desperate party trying to come to terms with its new role in opposition.
“The ANC’s motion of no confidence must be seen for what it is; a desperate effort to climb back on the gravy train that they have been deprived of for the past 13 months.
“The R14.4-billion and 1 400 cases currently under investigation took place under their leadership, kept hidden from the public eye,” Mashaba said.
Mashaba said the ANC was dishonest in government.
“The fact is that this baseless allegation is a smoke screen aimed at assuming control that would allow the looting to continue once again because change threatens the very survival of the ANC.”
The motions of no confidence against Mashaba and Da Gama would be debated and voted on at the council meeting later this month.
Mashaba and Da Gama could be voted out. The ANC, which has 121 councillors, needs 136 votes for the motions to succeed.
Matongo said the ANC is lobbying all City of Johannesburg councillors, including those “from the DA who are gatvol with Mashaba’s leadership style”, to vote in favour of the motions.
Last week, the EFF, which has helped the DA gain control of some of the country’s most powerful metros, including Johannesburg and Tshwane, said it would no longer attend council meetings at the DAled councils.
EFF leader Julius Malema has said his party’s vote with the DA was no longer guaranteed.