By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A new motion of no confidence against City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has been submitted to council speaker Margaret Arnolds.
The motion was proposed by Al Jama-ah Councillor Kabelo Gwamanda, in terms of Rule 94(1) of the Council’s Standing Rules and Orders, and was seconded by the United Democratic Movement’s Yongama Zigebe, who both falls under the Minority Government Parties (MGP).
The MGP is a coalition of smaller parties that form part of the African National Congress (ANC)-led government in the city council.
The MGP comprises the United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah, the African Independent Congress, and the African Heart Congress, which collectively hold a total of seven seats in the fractured council.
This comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) attempted to remove Morero from office by sponsoring the motion of no-confidence against him. However, the official opposition party fell short of the numbers needed to oust Morero.
The minority parties are unsatisfied with the mayor’s conduct. They say this follows a sustained breakdown of governance, administrative capture and political interference in the City’s operations.
“Under Mayor Morero’s tenure, Johannesburg has experienced one of its most difficult periods of administrative instability and service delivery collapse,” the MGP said.
The most recent tensions in the GLU come from Morero’s failure to appoint a City Manager, as well as the delay in reinstating MMC of Transport Kenny Kunene.
The ANC criticised the minority parties for not formally engaging with the party or raising their concerns through the proper coalition structures.
“Their sudden public posture is therefore disingenuous and driven by narrow political motives rather than the genuine interests of the residents of Johannesburg,” the ANC’s Johannesburg said.
The party added that an attack on Morero is an attack on the ANC itself. “The ANC will not stand by while opportunistic forces attempt to destabilize the progress being made under our leadership.”
The MGP were key to the ANC regaining power in the city through the formation of a so-called Government of Local Unity (GLU).
Of the 270 seats in the CoJ council, the ANC holds 91, the Democratic Alliance (DA) 70, ActionSA 44, the EFF 29, the Patriotic Alliance 9, and the Inkatha Freedom Party 7.
After ANC’s Morero was elected mayor in August 2024, following his service in the cabinet under minority party mayors, the party formed the GLU with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Patriotic Alliance, and the MGP.