Publications
Partners
After lambasting Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba and his administration for plunging the city into a financial crisis, the ANC greater Johannesburg region on Friday proceeded to submit a motion of no confidence in the mayor and other office bearers.
The motion of no confidence will be tabled and voted on at the council’s next meeting scheduled for August 22.
Regional chairperson Geoffery Makhubo accused the mayor and his administration of engaging in corrupt practices that included awarding illegal tenders.
“The City of Johannesburg illegally awarded an institutional review tender which resulted in the out-of-court settlement with a complainant to the tune of R7 million. Mashaba also illegally awarded a contract to his favourite non-governmental organisation to run a drug rehabilitation programme costing the city R11 million. He also illegal awarded three fleet contracts to the tune of R3.9 billion without following proper supply chain processes,” said Makhubo.
Read: Mashaba: Coalition governments are effective and ensure that leaders are accountable
He did not stop there, he went on to also accuse the mayor of facilitating a R500 000 salary increase to his chief of staff as well as illegally instructing a member of the mayoral committee (MMC) and chief manager to reconstruct houses that were built illegally in Alexandra, clearly demonstrating a total disregard of the City’s bylaws.”
Mashaba visited Alexandra residents in early June after 80 homes were demolished, prompting angry residents to burn three houses in Marlboro Gardens.
He promised them that the city would make a plan to rebuild their homes within a few days and tasked city manager Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni and housing MMC Meshack van Wyk to see to the operation.
“As much as you occupy this land illegally – not because you are criminals [but] because you had no choice – the city came in and also committed a crime by removing your stuff. Government now has the responsibility of asking the city to rebuild within the next few days,” said Mashaba as he addressed the residents.
Makhubo, however, expressed similar sentiments that were uttered by some Alexandra residents when they accused the mayor of being party to violating the city’s bylaws.
Their argument stemming from “the fact that the residents whose homes where demolished, had illegally occupied the land they built the homes on after being evicted from the Johannesburg CBD and being encouraged by the EFF to do so”.
Alexandra residents and the ANC maintained that Mashaba’s hands were tied by the fact that the EFF, who were co-governing with Mashaba’s DA, were encouraging illegal land occupation and because of his association with the party, he was refraining from distancing himself it.
ANC Greater Johannesburg regional secretary-general Dada Morero said his party was confident that Mashaba would be voted out on August 22 when council meets.
“On August 23 we are confident that a new administration will be in power and the city will be restored to its former glory,” said Morero.
The ANC said it was in talks with a whole host of political parties and were presenting a strong case as to why it was time for Mashaba to go.
The party did not dismiss the idea of even approaching the EFF to try and regain power in a city they lost in 2016.
 |
| ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
