By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has confirmed it will nominate former City of Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse as their mayoral candidate.
Phalatse was forced out following a no-confidence motion and succeeded by the now-former mayor Thapelo Amad.
DA Gauteng chairperson Fred Nel says Amad was manipulated by the ANC/EFF/Patriotic Alliance for personal gain.
“By supporting Amad as mayor the ANC/EFF/PA sabotaged service delivery and placed their personal interests above the interest of Johannesburg residents.
“They suspended investigations into corruption, that had been initiated under the DA multiparty coalition, and re-instated officials accused of corruption.”
Amad resigned as mayor on Monday ahead of a no-confidence motion, less than three months after he was elected to the role with the backing of members of the African National Congress seeking to regain influence over South Africa’s richest city.
“The DA will nominate Dr Mpho Phalatse as the mayoral candidate,” said Nel.
“Phalatse has a proven track record and an understanding of the needs of the people of Johannesburg.”
Amad won with 138 votes in January this year, after defeating Phalatse who received 81 votes and Action SA’s Funzi Ngobeni getting 46.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has refuted suggestions that Amad resigned as Johannesburg mayor due to a pending motion of no confidence in him.
Lesufi briefed the media on Monday in his capacity as ANC chairperson in Gauteng.
He told the media that the coalition had the numbers to defeat the motion brought by ActionSA.
“There is no single coalition partner that has left, which possibly means that any motion that is going to be tabled tomorrow (Tuesday) we are going to crush the motion. But if councillor Thapelo feels that the interest of the coalition is compromised and he feels that we need to keep this coalition intact, and therefore he feels he should step aside, we accepted that reluctantly.
“We are indeed stabilised, it doesn’t mean that when a mayor leaves it contributes to instability. We have this government of local unity, we are intact.”
Council Speaker Colleen Makhubele is still facing a motion of no confidence when the council meets on Tuesday.
“Whatever motion against the speaker, whatever motion against the chief whip we are ready to crush that motion and that motion will crash,” Lesufi added.
While the ANC holds the most seats in the Johannesburg council, it lost its outright majority in the 2016 municipal vote. Johannesburg and other major urban centers have switched hands several times since as coalitions between political parties in South Africa proved to be shaky.