Michael Holenstein, the former executive mayor of Mogale City.
The position of mayor of the West Rand’s Gauteng Mogale City municipality is vacant after the incumbent, Michael Holenstein of the DA, was given the boot.
The ANC, which lost control of the municipality in last year’s elections, announced that it had been successful in effecting the change.
The party had accused the DA of hypocrisy for its earlier failed attempt to oppose the motion of no confidence against Michael Holenstein being conducted through secret ballot.
This is exactly what the DA has asked for in a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma in parliament.
The ANC tabled the motion of no confidence on the basis of alleged gross violation of the laws governing local government by the executive mayor.
They had accused Holenstein of, among other things, political interference in administration as well as landing the municipality in serious financial dire straits through reckless decision-making.
“We had to act swiftly and decisively to avoid the municipality falling under administration on the grounds of these numerous violations‚” Khumalo said.
The troubled DA and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) coalition council has been marred by spats after last year’s local government elections.
The rift between the political parties at the municipality saw Holenstein axe two ANC officials, Speaker Patrick Naga Lipudi and chief whip Sipho Dube in January. A no confidence vote was passed against the two, who were replaced by Enerst Modise and Jacque Hoon, both DA officials.
The ANC was up in arms and branded that council meeting illegal, prompting cooperative governance MEC Paul Mashatile to intervene and reinstate Lipudi and Dube.
Another DA mayor‚ Lynn Pannall‚ had resigned from her position in December after serving four months as mayor, claiming ill health.
In the 2016 local government elections, the DA secured 27 seats‚ the Economic Freedom Fighters nine‚ the Inkhatha Freedom Party two and the Freedom Front Plus one.
The opposition together have 39 seats compared with the ANC’s 38, meaning that at least one opposition legislature member voted with the ANC today.
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