OPPOSITION parties in Ekurhuleni council want the speaker to reconvene a meeting to allow them to table a motion of no confidence against Mayor Sivuyile Nogdwana.
The council meeting collapsed on Thursday, 29 February, after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members allegedly attacked other councillors.
On Tuesday, 5 March, councillors from ActionSA, ACDP, ANC, DA, FF-Plus, PA, IRASA, IFP, COPE, ATM, PAC, UDM, ICM, and the PAC met in the morning to sign a petition that obligates the EFF Speaker of Council, Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, via the Municipal Structures Act, to reconvene a council meeting if the majority of councillors request it.
“Last Thursday, the EFF unsurprisingly resorted to violence to ensure that council collapse and our motion against their puppet mayor, Sivuyile Nogdwana, could not be voted on,” said ActionSA caucus leader Siyanda Makhubo.
He said the EFF had bought themselves a little over a week and has only hardened their resolve and solidified the numbers in council against Ngodwana.
The petition requires 113 signatures.
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“Because of the EFF’s actions last week, the threshold will be easily reached as all parties remain united to reconvene the February 29th council meeting. This would mean that council must reconvene within 72 hours in an extraordinary sitting where our motion will be tabled once again,” Makhubo said.
ActionSA has also written directly to the Ethics Committee to sanction the EFF caucus for its alleged acts of violence.
Makhubo claimed that Tshivenga directly assisted her fighters in collapsing the council, which set a dangerous precedent that cannot be allowed.
“ActionSA insists that the City’s finances need to be stabilised, institutional review rapidly implemented, and quality services delivered to our residents as soon as possible.
“To this end, ActionSA is willing to work with parties that share our values and will support proposals that will lead to stability in the City until the 2026 elections. ActionSA has always been clear that the ANC and EFF are responsible for the crisis the City finds itself in and, therefore, cannot be a part of the solution,” he said.
The DA has called on Ngodwana to fire all EFF members in the mayoral committee (MMCs).
The party’s Ekurhuleni caucus leader, Tania Campbell, said taking such a strong stance would show that the “EFF-puppet mayor” respects the communities across Ekurhuleni.
She said by firing the EFF MMCs, Ngondwana would send a strong message that he condemns violence.
“In fact, the executive mayor was punched and assaulted by EFF councillors as well as having his phone stolen during the altercations.
“The fact that the EFF felt so comfortable to physically attack the mayor shows how little regard they have for him and his position. Ngodwana may be the “outgoing” mayor, but he should show the residents that he has a backbone and some dignity left and fire his EFF MMCs,” Campbell said.
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