By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The City of Johannesburg speaker Margaret Arnolds, says the motion of no confidence against mayor of Dada Morero has been deferred to consider the question of a secret ballot.
Morero was facing another Al Jama-Ah-sponsored motion of no-confidence in the city council on Thursday.
The party believes Morero is failing to improve service delivery.
Al Jama-ah councillor and former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda formally requested a secret ballot, citing Rule 18 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.
Given the highly sensitive and politically charged nature of a motion of no confidence, it is imperative that the Speaker actively upholds these principles by adopting procedures that protect individual councillors,” said Gwamanda.
Gwamanda believes that a secret ballot will protect councillors from intimidation, victimisation, or external pressure and also ensure that votes are cast freely, honestly, and in accordance with individual conscience.
However, it is improbable that the motion will proceed in secrecy, as the regulations do not allow for secret ballots in cases of no confidence or removal, nor do they grant the Speaker the power to implement a secret ballot.
The African National Congress (ANC) was still in last-minute talks with Al Jama-ah and other political parties in the multi-party coalition.
ActionSA had confirmed to Fullview that it will not support the motion.
DA caucus leader Belinda Echeozonjoku said the DA felt vindicated by the looming motion, after unsuccessfully proposing a similar one a few months ago.
“It’s unfortunate that the city has become a political football for these coalition partners that cannot find each other,” said Echeozonjoku.
Arnolds said the vote will take place at a later date due to the requests for a secret ballot. The council, however, did manage to vote on establishing a deputy mayor position in the city.
The proposal was approved after receiving 107 votes in favour, while 87 councillors opposed it and 37 chose to abstain. The new role is expected to come with an annual cost of about R1.2 million, including salary and benefits.
The motion comes weeks after the current finance MMC, Loyiso Masuku, defeated Morero at the ANC’s regional conference in December, taking over the top position of regional chairperson.
Masuku’s faction wanted Morero out, but it appears that there has been pressure from the national leadership of the ANC for Morero to remain as mayor despite having lost his chairpersonship role.
There were talks of a deputy mayor position being created to appease Masuku’s faction.
Meanwhile the Political Management Committee (PMC), which includes parties in the Government of Local Unity (GNU), resolved that Morero should resign.
This, according to those who attended the meeting, would save the coalition government and the ANC an “embarrassment” should Morero be removed through the motion.