WATCH: Mogale City DA’s ‘delay tactics’ the ‘last kick of a dying horse’?

The Democratic Alliance (DA) coalition in Mogale City Local Municipality survived to live another day after Wednesday’s council meeting meant to tackle a no-motion confidence against Mayor Tyrone Gray was postponed to next week.

The axe was set to fall on Gray, speaker Jacqueline Pannall and council whip Lesego Lekoto when Pannall announced a postponement to obtain a legal opinion following the recent firing of 41 ANC and EFF councillors.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which is backing the ANC-sponsored motion against Gray, said Pannall had no mandate to fire the councillors or postpone the meeting.

The ANC wants the DA coalition dismantled over the Auditor-General’s report that flagged R28 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure under Gray.

West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) EFF speaker Bethuel Munyai said Pannall was just buying time to postpone the inevitable.

“We came here to observe the democratic processes. The speaker postponed this sitting without naming any rule. She doesn’t have a majority in this council and in fact, she has technically dissolved her position as well.

“This is the last kick of a dying horse, their [DA] days are numbered. The coalition government of the AIC, ANC and EFF is the one that will lead Mogale City to ensure service delivery for the residents,” Munyai said.

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Speaker didn’t follow rules

Gauteng Cogta MEC Mzi Khumalo was in the gallery observing proceedings. He said he was disappointed by the postponement because an adjustment budget was supposed to be tabled.

Khumalo further accused Pannall of not following due processes when she decided to expel ANC and EFF councillors accused of bunking three meetings in a row.

“The adjustment budget has a direct bearing on the delivery of services in this municipality. We had thought that the meeting would proceed to resolve that matter, what just happened doesn’t contribute to the stability of Mogale City.

“If a speaker requires legal advice on the basis of the removal of councillors is unfortunate. We have been engaged with this issue since 2 April up until now, she should have done that work before this meeting.”

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He added that motions of no confidence are “just political issues” and that communities should not be dragged into political matters in council.

“We are really not interested in that, and we made a point to the speaker that if due processes were followed and that councillors did contravene and have to be removed, we would do so. We think they did not follow all due processes.”

Councillors removed for bunking meetings

The ANC and EFF alliance is at loggerheads with the DA after Pannall more than half of council members for skipping meetings.

Mogale City has 77 seats – 31 are held by the ANC and 11 by the EFF. The DA has 25 seats.

The ANC and the red berets skipped follow-up special council meetings, leaving the adjustment budget hanging because there was no quorum to pass it through.

Khumalo has maintained that Pannall didn’t follow proper procedures, accusing the DA of trying to collapse council.

“By the time she approached Cogta, the councillors were already on the streets, why was I supposed to do?

“Who do I remove or retain because the speaker had already removed them? I do not understand why she’s not allowing us as the department to do our work.”

The ANC and EFF alliance on Tuesday ousted West Rand City ex-mayor Hullet Hild, a DA councillor.

Thabiso Bovungana of the African Independent Congress (AIC) was elected to replace him during a special sitting in Randfontein.

Hild was voted out along with the whip of council, Alme Swart. The EFF’s Munyai was elected speaker a few days ago, replacing DA’s Gerhad Kruger.

The DA took over Mogale City after receiving EFF votes after the 2021 polls.

Hild, Swart and Kruger at WRDM were elected to their positions in January last year.

WRDM oversees Mogale City Local Municipality in Krugersdorp, Rand West City Local Municipality in Randfontein and Merafong City Local Municipality in Carletonville.

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