THE motion of no confidence that saw Democratic Alliance’s Vasco Da Gama bite the dust as the speaker of Joburg was actually a vote of no confidence against the DA-led coalition.
That was according to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union’s (Samwu) deputy regional secretary, Richard Moila, who was speaking at a media briefing at the Samwu House in Joburg on Tuesday, 6 September.
Moila said: “It’s a pity that so far, only Da Gama has fallen on his sword. We would have loved to see many in the political administration of the city leaving, based on the conditions which this coalition government has subjected workers to.
“As has been said yesterday by the acting speaker of the city, the DA is indeed on its knees. It has been humiliated by undermining other parties represented in they council, thinking that it is the Alpha and Omega of Joburg.
With the talks that there is an impending motion of no confidence that will be tabled to see Mayor Mpho Phalatse follow Da Gama, the workers’ union revealed that it will be in support of any move to remove Phalatse as mayor.
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“If we, as workers, were able to vote, we would obviously vote out Phalatse as mayor of this beautiful city of ours.
“We, therefore, encourage all the parties that have the interest of workers at heart to vote correctly and release workers from the chains of the DA-led administration,” said Moila.
Earliery this year, 130 employees in the City of Joburg were dismissed after their contracts were overturned by the council.
This was after the ANC administration was accused of gifting employees with permanent contracts when they were still at the helm of the city.
Now Samwu has accused the DA-led administration of firing the 130 workers to make way for DA loyalists.
“We have noted with great concern the revelations by the former director in the office of the city manager, Mesuli Mlandu.
“Mlandu has publicly announced that he was used by the city to dismiss over 130 employees and thereafter he was discarded by the DA,” said Moila.
