The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) mayor Doctor Xhakaza and the council speaker Nthabiseng Tshivhenga have survived motions of no confidence to remove them from office during the ordinary council meeting at the Germiston council chamber on April 24.
The EFF’s Nthabiseng Tshivhenga remains the city council speaker after surviving a third bid to topple her from her position through a no-confidence vote.
The DA brought the motion of no confidence against Tshivhenga after accusing her of failing in her role to maintain order and decorum during council sittings, including alleged failure to deal with recent physical altercations between DA and EFF councillors in the chamber.
DA, ACDP, ICM, IRASA and VF Plus supported the bid to remove the speaker. In the vote, 73 councillors voted in favour of the motion, and 136 against it.
MayorThe city’s former COO Joe Mojapelo, the leader of the one-man-party, Independent Citizens Movement, filed the motion to remove Xhakaza from his position, after accusing the mayor of poor performance.
However, the mayor dismissed this as an attempt to stop him from pursuing officials believed to be involved in financial shenanigans, causing the city an estimated R2b shortfall in revenue.
The ICM, DA, ACDP and VFPlus supported the motion against the mayor. Hundred and forty councillors voted against the motion, and 69 voted in favour.
This was the first time Xhakaza faced a no-confidence vote since he took over from the previous mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana, ousted in a vote of no-confidence early last year.
In this motion of no confidence against Xhakaza, most parties against his removal cited maintaining political stability as their reasons to vote against the motion.
Some parties believed he brought some stability to the city, adding their priority was not positions, but ensuring the leadership structure remained stable so that the city could continue to deliver services effectively to the residents of the city.
‘Political sell-outs’Responding to the failed attempt to remove the speaker, the DA lambasted the parties that supported the speaker, calling them political sell-outs.
“Instead of removing this anti-democratic speaker, these parties (ActionSA, IFP, Patriotic Alliance, ANC and the EFF) have sold out residents of Ekurhuleni, and democracy is down the river.
“The DA brought a motion of no confidence against the speaker to restore the dignity of the council and to ensure the restoration of the people’s voice.
“Tshivenga repetitively acted unethically and illegally. She suppresses dissent and debate – often by allowing violence by EFF councillors.
“The DA will always side with residents and continue to defend our democracy against sell-outs and dictators.”
Nthabiseng Tshivhenga keeps her position as council speaker after surviving a DA sponsored motion of no confidence.
The City of Ekurhuleni mayor Doctor Xhakaza.
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