ANC To Challenge Vote Allowing DA’s Da Gama To Stay On As Joburg Speaker

JOHANNESBURG – Following a dramatic day at the Joburg council chambers on Thursday, which saw speaker Vasco da Gama survive a motion of no confidence, the African National Congress (ANC) said it would challenge the vote.

The motion failed with 135 votes for 99 against while 30 Economic Freedom Fighters councillors abstained. The ANC-backed motion needed one more vote to oust Da Gama from his position.

ANC councillor Jolidee Matongo said the Democratic Alliance (DA) played dirty.

“We are asking the provincial government to intervene because the MEC [Lebogang Maile] had previously indicated that the speaker seems to be breaking the rules of council and he should have provided reasons last week not to be suspended as a councillor,” he said.

With the ANC’s Geoff Makhubo as executive mayor and the DA’s Da Gama as speaker, the situation could present challenges in the council.

Makhubo called on all political parties to work with the ANC in putting the citizens of Johannesburg first.

Speaking at his first briefing as mayor at the Joburg council chambers in Braamfontein on Thursday, Makhubo said now that the ANC was back in the driver’s seat, it planned to do things differently this time around.

“We will be an all-encompassing government, not the government of the DA but every party will have a stake. We are still talking to other parties to see if they’re willing to work with us going forward,” he said.

EWN