‘ANC, EFF want their hands on Gauteng metros’: Joburg coalition unhappy over Vasco da Gama outcome

The multiparty coalition in the City of Joburg has criticised some councillors following a successful no-confidence vote against council speaker Vasco da Gama.

Da Gama was ousted by 136 votes to 132 during a council sitting in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The motion, which was tabled by the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), was backed by the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) as well as other smaller parties in council.

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Following the vote, the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led coalition met to discuss the outcome of the motion and has since voiced their discontent on the matter.

“Parties expressed their disappointment at the behaviour of some councillors who appear to have been motivated by the ANC and its voting partners to betray the coalition agreement and the residents of Johannesburg,” the opposition said in a statement on Thursday.

‘Acted in their own self-interest’

The opposition said it was of the view that the ANC and EFF were teaming up in order to destabilise the coalitions in Johannesburg as well as the City of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

“All political parties in the coalition reiterated their commitment to the coalition and its continued service to the residents of Johannesburg, while condemning the acts of a handful of councillors who, undoubtedly, acted in their own self-interest last night.

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“At the heart of the events last night is an ANC and EFF that is desperate to get their hands on these Gauteng metros,” the parties said.

“The effort to induce the support of individual councillors from the coalition is clearly an effort to violate the wishes of residents and return to a government that will continue the era of failed delivery, state capture and looting. This is what is at stake, and this is what the multi-party coalition will work night and day to prevent,” they added.

‘An obstacle’

The parties said it was confident of finding a replacement for Da Gama and that the coalition would achieve majority support during the election of the new Speaker.

“The motion succeeding against the Speaker of Council is an obstacle, but the multiparty coalition reiterates that the executive remains hard at work delivering services to the people of Johannesburg.”

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The DA leads the multiparty governments in Gauteng alongside the FF+, ActionSA, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Congress of the People (Cope). The parties are in a coalition in Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

The parties formed councils following the 2021 local government polls that produced no outright winner in these metros.

Meanwhile, the DA last month laid charges of intimidation and assault against EFF and ANC members following a brawl during a council meeting, which ended up being suspended.