Joburg council faces critical debate on DA's no confidence motion against mayor, speaker
Joburg mayor Dada Morero along with speaker Nobuhle Mthembu and chief whip Sithembiso Zungu will be the subject of a motion of no confidence debate in council over two days next week.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The City of Johannesburg council will debate the DA's motion of no confidence in mayor Dada Morero, speaker Nobuhle Mthembu and chief whip Sithembiso Zungu.
On Thursday, the council's programming committee approved the debate scheduled for two days, June 25 and 26. The DA in Johannesburg accuses Morero of failing the city's more than six million residents.
In its motion of no confidence in the mayor, the DA accuses Morero, who is also ANC regional chairperson in Joburg, of not leading with integrity, with his administration being marked by mismanagement, patronage networks and a disturbing lack of transparency.
According to the party, Joburg, the country's economic hub, is falling apart.
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'Under the current leadership, basic services are crumbling, communities are being neglected, and the very machinery of local government is grinding to a halt. Johannesburg deserves better,' the DA said.
Zungu is also an ANC councillor.
According to the DA, Mthembu of ActionSA has failed to uphold her constitutional role as an impartial guardian of council processes.
'Instead of ensuring fair and robust oversight, she has consistently shielded the mayor, undermining council's ability to hold the executive accountable,' added the party.
It also accuses Mthembu of being bias and stifling critical decision-making, suppressing legitimate scrutiny and eroding the democratic integrity of the council chamber.
The DA said her actions were evident in her protection of ineffective officials and disregard for procedural fairness, which it believes demonstrate that she is no longer independent but Morero's political ally.
The party urged all councillors, irrespective of political affiliation, to support its motions and join it in fighting for a city that works for all its people.
Morero and Mthembu, the DA said, have turned council into a political playground while residents suffer the consequences of poor governance.
'The DA will not stand by while Johannesburg is hijacked by narrow political interests. We owe it to every resident to fight for a council that works, a mayor who leads and a speaker who upholds the rules with fairness and impartiality,' the party explained.
The ANC leads the government of local unity in the Joburg council with ActionSA, the EFF, Patriotic Alliance, IFP, African Independent Congress, Al Jama-ah and the PAC, among others.
In January, ActionSA councillor Sarah Wissler was elected chairperson of section 79 public safety committee, beating the DA's Solomon Maila by 169 votes to 67.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za
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