ANC forges ahead with motion to remove Joburg mayor

The African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg said on Wednesday that it was forging ahead with its move to remove Mayor Herman Mashaba from office despite not having the required number of councillors to support its no confidence motion.

The ANC in Johannesburg said it resolved to move another no confidence motion against Mashaba and speaker Vasco da Gama in the two-day Council sitting that began on Wednesday.

In September, the ANC’s bid to hold a secret ballot against the pair failed.

Mashaba, a Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, became mayor of Johannesburg in August last year following a coalition agreement between smaller parties to oust the ANC from power after the Local Government Elections.

Mashaba has been on a drive to root out corruption and crime in the City. He has not been shy to remove tainted senior officials at key entities and review some contracts entered into by the City’s former administration.

ANC Joburg spokesperson Jolidee Matongo said they only needed a “simple majority” to oust Mashaba, adding his party was in talks with other other parties in a bid to support the ANC motion.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Council meeting, Matongo said the ANC would table the motion on Wednesday for it to be debated and voted on on Thursday as the DA had determined.

“We have the numbers from the ANC, as we speak we have 124 and the vote requires a simple majority, it doesn’t require 136 Councillors to vote for the motion. We don’t know what will be the attitude of others. We are pursing the IFP, we are pursuing the other smaller parties in the Council to work with us.”

Matongo said that if the ANC’s motion against Mashaba succeeds, the party will reinstate Parks Tau as Johannesburg mayor.

The council meeting continues.

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