By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane announced on Friday (19 July) that it intends to submit a motion of no confidence against Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor Cilliers Brink.
The party claims this is because of “a deterioration of the state of governance”. The DA has claimed it is purely opportunistic.
The ANC held a media briefing in Tshwane on Friday morning to communicate outcomes from its recently held regional executive committee meeting.
ANC regional chairperson Eugene Modise said, “the motion follows a deterioration of the state of governance, including financial management, and a litany of misrule and a staff component that is despondent. Since June 2023, we have witnessed the rapid deterioration of governance in political oversight, management, and the financial status of the city.”
Modise said the move had been blessed by its higher structures.
“They have requested us to vote out the mayor a long time ago because of his arrogance and his treatment of black business people.”
Modise added, its decision to remove the DA-led coalition government in the capital city would not have any effect on the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The DA is the ANC’s main partner in the national coalition government.
In President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Opening of Parliament speech on Thursday, he said parties in the GNU would also be collaborating in provincial and local governments.
Meanwhile Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda of the Al-Jama Ah party could face the axe as ANC is engaging with opposition parties in the city’s council about possible collaboration without him as mayor.
This comes amid mounting pressure for him to go, as well as cracks emerging within the current coalition.
The Al-Jama ah mayor, who is one of three councillors from his party in the 270-seat council, was elected in May 2023 following a revolving door of executives, which saw five mayors in 18 months.
He was elected through the support of the ANC, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and other ‘smaller parties,’ who then made up the city’s executive.
The Johannesburg city council is highly fragmented, with no party having an outright majority since the 2021 local government elections.
Recently, the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, made up of numerous civil society organisations, demanded Gwamanda’s resignation, citing “inadequate leadership amidst a worsening governance crisis” in the country’s economic hub.
This put the ANC in an awkward situation, prompting them to look for alternatives for a ‘stable government’ with local government elections just over two years away.
Since the formation of a national coalition or “Government of National Unity (GNU)”—which excludes the EFF—tensions between the ANC and the EFF have arisen, particularly in the economic powerhouse of Gauteng, where they co-govern in numerous metros.
Notably, the EFF has often not voted with its coalition partners in Johannesburg, and the ANC’s Ekurhuleni mayor recently axed the EFF’s Gauteng chairperson from his position as MMC of Finance.
The City of Tshwane, which also has a fragmented council, has also seen an unstable government over the past several years.
After the collapse of an ANC/EFF and other ‘smaller party’ coalition in the metro, Brink was elected as mayor in March 2023 with the backing of the DA, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus and others, who were then appointed to his cabinet.
Meanwhile Tshwane said its call centre had been impacted by an IT outage that affected airlines, banks, TV channels, and other businesses worldwide.
The city’s Lindela Mashego said customers were struggling to reach them through their call centre.
“The city would like to apologise to customers who can’t get through to our call centre number, 012 358 99 99, and all other email addresses. However, there are other alternative platforms for customers to reach the city.”