By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African Independent Congress’s (AIC) Sivuyile Ngodwana is the new executive mayor of Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality.
Ngodwana was going up against the Democratic Alliance’s Tania Campbell, who was voted out earlier in the day.
He received 129 votes, while Campbell got 75 votes.
Ngodwana was nominated by the NFP and seconded by the ANC, while Campbell was nominated by the DA.
Just before voting took place, Action SA announced their withdrawal from council, saying they would be abstaining from the vote.
Ngodwana, in his acceptance speech, thanked residents and councillors for the opportunity to lead the city.
“We appreciate that the electorate did not bestow any absolute majority in council, which compelled parties to put heads together and come up with an alternative political leadership ideal,” said Ngodwana.
This victory forms part of the ANC and EFF’s calculated takeover of Gauteng metros with the help of the Patrioti Alliance and minority parties.
Their new coalition configuration is designed to place minority parties into positions such as speaker of council and executive mayor. The ANC/EFF/PA/minority bloc then shares the rest of the mayoral committee seats.
Meanwhile Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says the ongoing lack of basic service delivery in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni remains a concern.
Lesufi addressed the media in Ekurhuleni shortly after the election of a new mayor on Thursday evening.
He said the new mayor has to put service delivery at the top of his agenda.
“With the three big metros stabilised the way they are, we really believe that we can then start to accelerate the issue of service delivery to our people. The three metro combined we believe, if we work together, our first target should be the issues of water and electricity across the three metros. It’s a serious matter that worries me a lot, (but) now that we have elected a new mayor in Ekurhuleni we feel that everything is fine.”
“We are on a mission to establish government of local unit. We are all parties and we can participate in all activities of that municipality. there must be no party that is left out on the basis that it is hated.”
A vote of no confidence is also scheduled to be tabled against the mayor and council speaker in Mogale City on Friday.