NATIONAL NEWS - Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero has survived his first motion of no confidence vote.
He won by 144 votes to 75.
Morero is one of three top leaders in the municipal council who faced motions of no confidence.
One of the ANC’s biggest allies in the Gauteng province, ActionSA, abstained from the vote.
However, Morero was able to keep his position through the support of smaller parties and members of the Government of Local Unity (GLU).
ActionSA said they would “not vote to defend an indefensible track record, especially when basic governance matters are being mishandled without consultation”.
ActionSA ‘complicit’, GOOD issue warning
UDM councillor Yongama Zigebe lambasted the party for its decision, saying abstaining was as good as being complicit.
“Those who sit on the fence today are not to be trusted by residents of Johannesburg. They are part of this game of instability”.
The Good Party said that while it was concerned about the state of the city and critical of Morero, removing the mayor would further destabilise Johannesburg.
“Our vote is not an endorsement [of Morero] but a wake-up call. Mayor Morero must use the power of his office not only to manage but to lead. This means restructuring his executive, confronting underperformance, and purging the rotten apples in his GLU coalition who are abusing public resources, blocking reform, or serving private interests over the public good.
“The City of Johannesburg needs a mayor with a backbone,” said GOOD National Chairperson and City of Johannesburg Councillor Matthew Cook.
Positions over service delivery?
Former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda was rumoured to make a return if Morero was defeated, but this was quickly denied by the DA. Gwamanda told the council he and Al Jama-ah supported Morero.
The DA’s Alex Christians said those residents who saw the motion being defeated will conclude that politicians in the GLU prioritised positions over citizens’ interests.
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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