WATCH: Dr Mpho Phalatse is ousted as mayor

From our understanding and based on earliest reports, Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse has been ousted as the City of Johannesburg mayor through a motion of no confidence convened by the city council.

Phalatse earlier called on residents of the city to join the campaign #HandsOffJoburg amid the tabling of a motion of no confidence against her.

This follows Cope Clr Colleen Makhubele’s recent appointment as Johannesburg’s council speaker. Her election came with a request for a motion of no confidence debate against Phalatse already on the table.

Late on September 29, the speaker of the council, Clr Makhubele, the City of Johannesburg and members of the programming committee were served with papers questioning the procedure followed in calling for an extraordinary meeting of the council.

“In our papers, which have been served on the respondents and filed in the High Court, we argue that the notices convening the 9th extraordinary council meeting of council for September 30 at 10:00 issued by the speaker of the council, Clr Makhubele, be declared to be unlawful, invalid, null and void,” said Phalatse.

She said what must be highlighted is the irregular manner and haste in which the sitting of the council was called, ahead of recess.

“Recess takes effect from October 1, 2022, despite the Speaker of Council stating on September 28 that an extraordinary meeting would take place after the recess period.

“We accept the speaker’s right to call meetings, but submit that to call a meeting of 270 councillors of the city on less than a day’s notice, without grounds of extreme urgency and special need, is in breach of the requirement that meetings must be called within a reasonable notice period,” Phalatse explained.

In a statement, she said the Joburg multi-party government does not believe that the speaker was acting in the interests of the residents of Joburg and the council.

This is a developing story and we will keep our readers updated.