Joburg mayor Dada Morero survived a motion of no confidence on Wednesday after most of the parties in council voted against it.
Chief whip Sithembiso Zungu also survived the motion against him, while speaker Nobuhle Mthembu was removed after the majority voted against her.
One hundred and forty-four members voted against the motion of no confidence in Morero, while 75 voted for his ousting and 43 abstained.
IFP councillor Mlungisi Mabaso said the motion was a distraction to destabilise the council.
“The IFP has never and will never participate in or support any efforts that seek to destabilise governance. Even when we are in the opposition, we have consistently exercised our oversight role with responsibility ...
“It’s not about the political transactions, but it’s about the residents, the taxpayers, and the community that we are duty-bound to serve. We are wasting taxpayers’ money, debating this motion that says no serves no constructive purpose, ” he said.
Mthembu lost her seat after 212 votes went against her while 48 rejected the motion.
ANC councillor Maanda Mmbengwa said of Mthembu’s ousting: “The sins of her father [ActionSA] are costing her and us as the ANC. We are getting rid of her. ActionSA has shown that they don’t respect the rules of the GLU [government of local unity], in many times you’ve failed us in budget. It’s time to go,” he said.
DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku condemned all the parties that voted to keep Morero in office.
“While parties in council chose positions over principles today, the DA can proudly say that it brought forward a motion to dismiss the man presiding over Johannesburg’s decay,” she said. “No amount of spin by a failing executive can conceal Johannesburg’s rot and decay — but the residents of Johannesburg will not forget.
“While the order of the day has been political posturing, the DA can reveal that ActionSA’s abstention on the vote against executive mayor Dada Morero only came about because of their inability to convince the corrupt to give them more positions in the executive. Their abstention in today’s vote, which is just as good as a vote to keep Morero, is a cheap tool to keep the door for renegotiations open.”
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