Johannesburg coalition partners have moved to kick mayor Dada Morero out after a heated meeting on Tuesday.
This was revealed by minority governing parties who publicly welcomed the resolution of the meeting to request Morero’s party, the ANC, to direct him to submit a resignation letter before the Thursday council meeting that will deliberate over his fate.
According to the minority cohort, the political management committee had frank, robust and heated engagements over Morero’s mayorship, which they believe has been marred by governance challenges.
In a statement, the minorities expressed serious concern over leadership paralysis and its direct impact on service delivery and institutional stability.
“Following intense deliberations, the PMC reached a firm and collective resolution that the continued tenure of the executive mayor was no longer sustainable in the interests of Johannesburg and the stability of the government of local unity.”
However, they agreed to the ANC’s request for time to consult its structures, with a commitment to report back to the oversight and management committee before the Thursday council meeting.
“This demonstrates respect for coalition processes and collective decision-making,” they said.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Al-Jamah councillor and former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda had written to the council speaker, Margaret Arnolds, requesting a secret ballot should the no-confidence motion proceed.
A secret ballot will protect councillors from intimidation, victimisation, or external pressure and ensure that votes are cast freely, honestly, and in accordance with conscience.
— Kabelo Gwamanda, Al-Jamah councillor
In a letter TimesLIVE has seen, Gwamanda reminded the speaker she has a responsibility to ensure that the council conducts its affairs in a manner that is fair, democratic and free from intimidation, coercion or undue influence — by doing so, enabling councillors to exercise their rights without fear or prejudice.
“Given the highly sensitive and politically charged nature of a motion of no confidence, it is imperative that the speaker upholds these principles by adopting procedures that protect individual councillors.”
He added that the constitution does not prescribe a certain manner of voting, arguing that municipal councils are empowered to determine their own procedure, which includes the use of a secret ballot that the party is requesting the speaker to enforce.
“A secret ballot will protect councillors from intimidation, victimisation, or external pressure (and) ensure that votes are cast freely, honestly and in accordance with conscience. This will strengthen the credibility and legitimacy of the outcome of the motion and uphold the constitutional principles of democracy, accountability and transparency.”
The city’s ordinary council meeting is expected to proceed on Thursday.
This is a developing story.