Campbell out: New executive mayor of Ekurhuleni to be elected today

The election of a new executive mayor for the City of Ekurhuleni was set for today, November 2.

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At the time of going to print, this date was not confirmed and was provided by sources inside the council.

This follows the vote of no confidence against former executive mayor Ald Tania Campbell on October 26 when the EFF abstained from voting on the motion tabled by the ANC.

With this, the ANC managed to pass the motion with the support of minority parties resulting in 100 votes in favour of the motion and 93 against it.

The NEWS was told that Campbell would contest the new mayor’s election.

“Should she not be re-elected by council she will return as the leader of the official opposition,” said Warren Gwuilt, Campbell’s former mayoral spokesperson.

Sources inside the council told the NEWS there were doubts about the mayoral nomination of the former mayor and current leader of the ANC in council, Mzwandile Masina.

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Masina was also not visibly part of response interviews after the ousting of Campbell.

In response to inquiries by the NEWS, Ekurhuleni ANC chief whip Clr Jongizizwe Dlabathi said the ANC Gauteng will decide on a mayoral nominee.

“We will know once the province has concluded. We are not involved,” Dlabathi said.

Before the motion was tabled, some coalition parties re-affirmed their support for Campbell whilst the EFF abstained.

EFF Gauteng chairperson and Ekurhuleni caucus leader Clr Nkululeko Dunga said the party did not vote for or against the motion because neither the DA nor the ANC had approached the EFF.

The DA described the ANC motion as frivolous, adding that its caucus had full confidence in Campbell.

The parties that supported Campbell included Action SA and Freedom Front Plus.

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Dlabathi previously told the media the motion was based on the ‘mayor coercing the finalisation of the council budget’.

He alleged that it resulted in the resignation of former MMC of Finance, Graham Gersbach.

Dlabathi told the media that Campbell pursued an “anti-poor budget” by doing away with free basic services and that service delivery has taken a ‘racial turn’, especially in informal settlements.

“Townships have been neglected under her leadership,” Dlabathi said.

ANC Clr Doctor Xhakaza said that Campbell plunged the city into crisis and Dlabathi said that the multi-party coalition did not have the capability to steer the city.

Thembisa

Many of those who supported the ANC’s motion raised the August protests in Thembisa during the October 26 deliberations.

The Independent Citizens Movement, United Democratic Movement, Patriotic Alliance and Independent Ratepayers Association of SA (Irasa) were part of those that voted in favour of the ANC motion.

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“Thembisa should never have happened. A mayor who says she cannot meet with people because the protocol does not allow for it, should not be mayor,” said Clr Dino Peterson from the Patriotic Alliance.

Residents then took to the streets to express their frustration with service delivery. The hike in tariffs was another concern raised by Thembisans.

“You should not place yourself higher than the people,” said Peterson.

Hiring and firing

Ald Izak Berg said Irasa voted to remove Campbell due to a lack of service delivery which included the removal of waste, repairs of potholes and streetlights and regular meter readings.

“She created instability by hiring and firing her Members of the Mayoral Committee. Some of the members included DA MMCs.

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She failed to appoint an MMC for Infrastructure Services which has been vacant for four months following the removal of the previous incumbent for outstanding municipal account arrears of more than R300 000.

“She fired the two Patriotic Alliance MMCs in a tit-for-tat move for the removal of the Joburg Mayor and this cost her seat as mayor,” said Berg.

“Had she not fired the PA MMCs who have four councillors, she would have won by 97 to 96 votes,” said Berg.

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