The ANC will today back Cope’s Colleen Makhubela for the position of speaker of the Johannesburg council despite the instability in her party that could cost her the council seat, the party’s Johannesburg leader Dada Morero has said.
Makhubela, the “chair of chairs”, (chairperson of the committee of chairpersons of council oversight committees) will run against the DA’s Vasco da Gama. This after a coalition made up of smaller parties within the municipality voted Da Gama out of the same position last month.
The outcome of today’s meeting will be a bellwether for the balance of power in the Joburg council chamber, determining whether mayor Mpho Phalatse can survive her own vote of no confidence. A date for this motion is yet to be announced.
Yesterday, the ANC regional leadership reiterated its position that Phalatse ought to have been criminally charged for what it said was her part in former mayor Herman Mashaba instructing her to appoint a non-governmental organisation, which Mashaba was a board member of, to undertake a youth rehabilitation and support programme.
Morero said the party remained “confident” that it, along with its partners, will make Makhubela the head of the city’s legislative body despite the DA-led coalition having strengthened its hand since Da Gama was ousted.
Da Gama lost by four votes after 136 councillors supported his removal while 132 were against.
The DA’s partners in the coalition government have since fired and replaced councillors who had voted against Da Gama. United Independent Movement fired Kevin Reddy as councillor, while the IFP got rid of Sbusiso Phakathi.
The ACDP instituted disciplinary processes against two of its councillors while the Freedom Front+ replaced its councillor who was absent (because of internal party discipline issues) on the day.
The DA announced earlier this month that it would be tabling a counter motion of no confidence against Makhubela and the African Transformation Movement’s Lubabalo Magwentshu (chairperson for the health and social development committee), to remove them from their influential positions.
Makhubela’s own position as councillor is uncertain as factionalist wars rage within her party. A faction led by party national spokesperson Dennis Bloem suspended her for voting against Da Gama. Within hours of the suspension, another faction loyal to party leader and founder Patrick Lekota announced that she should ignore Bloem.
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